Their Place in the World
by Reese M
Summary: AU: Carly Benson & Sam McCall are kids who find each other in a Florida group home and became best friends. In an effort to help the younger Sam, Carly sets out to find her birth mother with the intentions of conning money out of her. But when the girls arrive in Port Charles they both find the last thing they were expecting. Their mothers, families, and their place in the world.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: I posted this story on a message board awhile back and just recently came across it again so I thought I would post it here. It's an AU Sam/Carly friendship, Sam/Alexis, Carly/Bobbie story, that kind of fits into the story lines of the late 90s. It also features Alexis/Jax as a pairing. Ages have been adjusted and it features a lot of my favorite GH characters, again from the late 90s. You can easily find scenes and such on youtube if you want a refresher. :) It is the 50th Anniversary and it's always fun to revisit GH's past. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy. Reviews always welcome :)

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State run group homes were a special kind of hell. They were more like mini-prisons and nothing like a real home. The adults that were suppose to look after the kids were not parents but administrators who kept themselves at a distance. There was no love, no caring, and very little compassion, empathy or sympathy. The adults did their jobs and went home at the end of their shifts to their real families. This left the kids to create their own ways of getting the simplest of basic needs. They clustered together for support and crumbs of affection, or they became hard in order to survive the loneliness. The kids who lived in-group homes learned to adapt quickly or they got chewed up and spit out by the experience. The tough kids got tougher, the weaker kids got tough or they got used and abused. Caroline "Carly" Benson had come to the home a sad kid who had just lost her adoptive mother to a heart condition, but she was a fighter and quickly adapted to the situation. She learned the ropes and used what she could to her advantage.

Carly had been twelve when the social worker pulled her away from Virginia Benson's hospital bed, forcing the girl to let go of her mother's cold, lifeless hand, and dropped her off at this place. After her mother's funeral it took Carly three months and a pretty bad beating from one of the older girls to snap her out of her grief and depression and into survival mode. Three years later and everyone knew not to mess with Carly Benson. They knew she was either an ally or your worst nightmare. Carly, unlike a lot of the kids, was not violent, she was manipulative and scheming, she didn't kick your ass unless she absolutely had too, no she got you in enough trouble to be sent to another home or to detention center or worse.

For the most part Carly had been a loner, looking out for herself and on occasion some of the younger kids, but all that changed six months ago. She'd been on her way out when she spotted a girl she'd never seen before trying to sneak out the way Carly herself snuck out. Carly had been impressed that this new kid was able to find the unused and long forgotten little delivery door in the back of a basement storeroom. The girl had long dark hair and the biggest brown eyes she'd every seen. Samantha McCall was nine, though she was small for her age easily passing for seven, and quite the little spitfire. The girls connected almost instantly once their natural weariness and defenses were let go of. Carly learned that Sam had been abandoned by her father after a con he was running went south, and that normally when something like that happened Sam was suppose to stay out of sight until Cody could come back for her, but Sam had gotten sick and was busted when she was found sleeping off a fever on a church pew. For the first time since loosing her mother Carly had someone to care about. She also realized that this was no place for a kid like Sam, so Carly came up with a plan.

Walking down the hall of the home Carly saw one of the older boys pinning Sam to the wall, using his size and hers against her, and even though Sam was fighting as hard as she could she couldn't push the boy away. Carly quicken her step to reach them and pulled the boy away from Sam with such force he landed on his rear end. "Get lost Brad." Carly hissed at the boy. "Come near her again and you'll regret it." Brad was relatively new and didn't know any better. He didn't know that the tall fifteen year old with long dirty blonde hair and bright blue eyes was someone to be weary of. But one look into those expressive blue eyes told him what he needed to know and the boy scurry to his feet and run off. Once he was out of sight Carly turned to Sam. "Are you ok Sammie?"

The younger girl nodded while trying to catch her breath. She'd been ready for a fight and now that the fight wouldn't be happening she needed a moment to come down from the fight of flight that gripped her a moment ago. "I could have handled him Carly."

Carly smirked; it was a cute smirk with one side of her lip curling upwards a little more then the other side. "I know you could have." She told the small dark haired girl. "But I didn't have the patience to wait." She took Sam by the hand and led her to her room. Once they were sitting on Carly's bed, Carly took her beat up old backpack off her shoulder and removed several small brightly wrapped packages from its depths. She handed them to Sam. "Happy Birthday Sam."

Sam always tried to act tough. She had been terrified when she'd first arrived but Carly help her through that. It was easier to act tough knowing that someone had her back. Sam looked up to the older girl and being with her helped her miss Cody and Danny less. When she felt her eyes burning with tears she quickly blinked it away, not waiting Carly to see her act like a baby. She smiled up at the older girl as she said, "You remembered."

"Of course I did." Carly said as she ruffled Sam's hair. "Go ahead and open them."

The gifts were simple. A small beanie plush turtle, Sam loved turtles; a package of Swedish fish, Sam's favorite candy; and a small star on a little gold chain, Sam absolutely loved the stars. The younger girl threw her arms around the older one's neck and hugged her tight. No one, not even Cody, had ever given her a birthday present before. Danny had drawn her pictures, which she carried with her in her old battered up bag, but these were her first real gifts. "Oh, thank you Carly, thank you."

Carly beamed as she hugged the younger girl back. "You're welcome half pint." After she helped Sam put on her necklace she warned, "Keep it hidden under your shirt."

Sam nodded. No one really owned anything in a place like this because stuff was so easily stolen. She would have lost everything she owned if Carly hadn't hidden her bag away like she did her own.

"I got you something else." Carly said as she pulled something else out of her bag. "Its not really a gift though." She handed the girl a couple of thin metal rods that she'd lifted from a hardware store. "Will these work?"

Sam's big brown eyes lit up. "These are perfect."

"Great." Carly replied. "So tonight after everyone's asleep I'll come get you. You know what to do?"

"Pick the lock on the file room door." Sam said with a nod. "And then keep watch while you're inside."

Carly nodded. "If I can figure out who my birth mother is maybe I can figure out a way to get some real money for us."

"What if you can't find her?" Sam asked. "What if she doesn't have money?"

"Then we go to plan B." Carly said as she tried to reassure the girl.

"What's plan B?" Sam asked.

Carly didn't have one yet so she replied, "I'll tell you if we need it." Like most kids, because despite everything Carly was still just a kid, she had this over fantasized image of what her birth mother was like. In her imagination the woman had money and she'd been using some of that money looking for Carly all these years, so now Carly was going to help her out by finding her herself. "Don't forget to keep those well hidden."

Sam beamed up at the older girl. "Don't worry Carly. I know. Cody taught me all about hiding our tools and stuff." She slipped the little rods into her sock and then opened her candy and offered some to Carly who smiled as she accepted one of the little red fish.

That night Carly snuck out of her room and down the hall to Sam's. She and the younger girl made their way through the dim and silent halls, avoiding the night staff, to the part of the building that was used for administrative stuff. Sam had the lock picked in less then a minute and Carly quickly slipped inside. She needed the girl to pick the lock on the file cabinet and then sent her to keep a look out. Carly quickly found her file and started going through it. She wished she could make proper copies but someone might have heard the copy machine so she had to hand write the information she needed. Once she had that she put her file away and was about to close the drawer and leave but she had a sudden idea and quickly found Sam's file. Carly frowned, as she looked it over. Sam had been adopted too? And why did Sam's records look so different from her own? Finding her file again Carly compared the documents. Hers had things like the name of the lawyer who handled her adoption, the name of the hospital she was born at, the name of the adoption agency, but Sam's had none of that. Even at fifteen Carly knew something wasn't right in Sam's records, she just didn't know what. Grabbing another piece of paper Carly took down Sam's information as well and then put everything back the way it was. Slipping out into the hall she closed the door and smiled at Sam.

After putting Sam back to bed Carly looked over the information she had and tried to think through her next step. It was late when she finally went to sleep herself. All the kids at the home went to the local public schools and it wasn't a surprise that Carly decided to skip. After making sure Sam was in school she hopped on a bus and headed over to a block of run down apartments that she knew a bunch of former home kids were crashing in. Part of being part of the foster care system was that kids aged out everyday and that gave a resourceful kid like Carly access to stuff others wouldn't even think of using. It took a couple of hours but Carly was able to learn that one of the boys who use to live at the home had a job working in the very hospital she'd been born in. So the next day she hopped on a bus to Jacksonville.

"Hey," Carly called out to the tall string bean of a young man. "Billy Gather."

The young man turned. "Carly?"

Carly smiled brightly at him. "Been awhile."

"Yeah." The boy agreed. "What are you doing here?"

"Do you remember that favor I did for you?" Carly asked as she put her arm around the young man's shoulders. "Well I need one in return."

The young man looked a little nervous. "What did you have in mind?"

She handed him a slip of paper. "I need copies of an old medical file."

"Carly I…"

She cut him off. "It would really suck if someone, say the police, ever found out about…"

"I was a kid!" Billy said quickly. "You know my foster father made me…"

"Still," Carly cut in. "it would be sad if someone…"

"Ok!" Billy agreed. "Ok, I'll get what you need. I'll meet you in the park during my lunch hour, by the lemonade stand, one o'clock."

Carly reward the boy with a smile so bright it lit up her eyes. "Thanks Billy, you're the best."

Barbara Jean Spencer, fifteen, of Jacksonville Florida gave birth to a baby girl on November 5th. Her custodial guardian Ruby Anderson signed the papers to put the child up for adoption since Barbara was underage. Carly read and reread the information Billy had gotten her all night long. Now she sat at a computer in the public library staring at the search screen. For some reason she just couldn't make her fingers type in the name that was now burned into her memory. She had a name, her mother's name, and it was a little over whelming.

"Carly." Sam said as she tapped the older girl on the shoulder. "Carly."

Carly blinked her bright blue eyes and looked at the younger girl. "Hmm?"

"Are you ok?" Sam asked with concern in her big brown eyes.

Carly smiled. "I'm fine half pint."

"Did you find where we have to go?" Sam asked.

"Not yet." Carly said. Looking at Sam reminded her why she was doing this. She was going to find her birth mother and somehow get enough money off her to help Sam. Sam who had no clue she too had a birth mother out there somewhere; Sam who didn't have a clue she'd been throw away and abandon more then once. Who the hell did these women think they were? How dare they just cast them aside without a second thought! Carly looked at the computer screen and typed in the name Barbara Jean Spencer. Well these women would pay for tossing them out, Carly was damn sure of that now.

Half an hour later Carly looked at Sam and asked, "Ever been to New York?"

To Carly's surprise Sam nodded. "We lived there for awhile, but we never stayed in any place too long."

"Well, it looks like you're going back." Carly said as she grabbed the print outs she'd made and logged off the computer. "Because that's where we're headed."

"Is that where your mother is?" Sam asked.

Carly nodded. She was kind of disappointed because as it turns out her mother wasn't anything like she'd pictured, but she was still sitting pretty with a good life in her little harbor town. "I need a couple of days to work out all the details. Don't say a word, Sam, just get your stuff together as quietly as possible and be ready to go at a moments notice."

Sam was beaming. This was kind of like being with her dad again and it was a rush. "Ok Carly. I will."

It took some time for Carly to get enough money pulled together. She'd been saving some for a few weeks now but a trip all the way to New York would cost more then she had saved. It was a good thing no one ever really paid attention to the petty cash funds at the home. Sam helped. She was really good at snatching wallets and those jars at counters that Carly was fairly sure were scams anyway. Two weeks after finding out who her mother was Carly and Sam were sitting in the back of a bus on their way to Memphis Tennessee. She didn't think anyone would bother looking for them, sure the home would file a police report, but she knew no one really cared about two group home runaways. They were just two less people the state of Florida would have to foot the bill for. But Carly was being cautious nonetheless, so they weren't taking a direct route to New York. Sure it was going to cost more this way, after Memphis they'd take a bus too Indianapolis, from there Pittsburg, then finally to New York City, but Carly couldn't take the chance that some moral dumbass in the police department would actually make an effort to find them.

"You ok half pint?" Carly asked in a whisper since most of the other bus passengers were sleeping.

Sam nodded. "This is better then being in that place." But she sighed softly. "I was just thinking though, what if Cody comes to find me and I'm not there?"

Carly put her arm around the ten year old. "Sweetie, I don't think he was going to come back this time. Has he ever left you for so long before?"

Sam shook her head as tears welled in her eyes. "No."

"It'll be ok, Sam." Carly said as she gave the girl a one armed hug. "You and me, we'll be ok, you'll see."

Sam gave Carly a watery smile. "I'm glad I have you Carly." She looked out the window for a while, watching as the moon followed them, or they followed it Sam couldn't tell which it was. But that didn't stop her from whispering to the bright silver orb, "I wish I had a mama out there to find too."

It hadn't been meant for her to hear but Carly heard it anyway and it broke her heart. She pulled a slip of paper out of her pocket and looked at it. Sam was born May 11th in Maine and was adopted by Cody McCall and Evelyn Bass. It had taken some digging but Carly was able to find out the name of the clinic and the name Carter Tate. Something about this still didn't sit right with Carly, but she'd have to wait to figure it all out. She and Sam had a long road ahead of them so Carly was going at this one step at a time. First thing first, she had to get them to some place in upstate New York called Port Charles.


	2. Chapter 2

The greatest gift anyone had ever given her was asleep in the guest room of her penthouse. Alexis Davis was still finding it hard to believe that her baby sister was alive and back in her life after so many years lost, and it was all thanks to Jasper Jacks. How was she ever going to repay her best friend and the man she loved for such an amazing gift? She couldn't, there was no possible way, but what she could do was savor every moment with her sister and enjoy getting to know the bright and bubbly redhead. They had been spending the last few weeks getting to know each other and were finally starting to get into a somewhat normal routine with each other. They had seamlessly acclimated themselves into each other's lives and there were moments when Alexis forgot that they had lost years together, moments where it felt as if they'd always shared their lives, but then again she also had moments when she was all to clear about the time lost with Kristina.

Kristina's returned presence in her life had opened a flood of memories. Memories that were both consciously and subconsciously suppressed, suddenly came rushing to the surface. Memories of their mother that Alexis had blocked out after watching Helena slit their mother's throat. Memories of actually loving her father rather then fearing him, resenting him, and out right hating him for what he'd done to her. It was the memories of having and giving true and unconditional love to someone for first time in her life, and then of Mikkos' greatest betrayal that haunted Alexis more and more these days. Standing by her penthouse's terrace doors Alexis stared up at the moon as it hung over Port Charles. Silent tears rolled down her cheeks from sorrowful, remorseful and pain filled brown eyes as her thoughts traveled ten, eleven years back in time to the scariest, happiest, worst times of her life.

"Alexis?" A sleepy voice whispered from the stairs.

Alexis quickly wiped away her tears and swallowed the emotion from her throat. "Kristina, what are you doing up?"

The tall, slender, beautifully pale, bright hazel eyed, redhead walked over to her more olive skinned slightly taller, dark haired, dark eyed sister and reached out to wipe a falling tear off the older woman's chin. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." Alexis lied as she gave her sister a weak smile. "I'm fine. Why are you up?"

Kristina shrugged. "I just felt the need to wake up. I think it's because my sister's upset about something. You don't cry without a damn good reason, Alexis. What's wrong?"

Alexis simply stood there and once again took her sister in. Kristina looked so much like their mother with very little of their father. In fact the teenager looked so much like Kristin Bergman that the sight of her freaked Helena Cassadine, their mother's murderess, the hell out. But Alexis found the similarities comforting for the most part. It was in moments like theses when her mind was so far away that Alexis found the sight of her beloved sister a little painful. "Nothing, I'm fine."

"You said that already." Kristina replied as she continued to look into her sister's expressive eyes. "I know I haven't known you for long, Alexis, but I do know you. I can tell something is really hurting you. Talk to me." She gave her sister a sweet and reassuring smile. "That's what sisters are for, right?"

"So I've been told by those who've had them longer." Alexis said with a sad little chuckle.

Kristina noticed that her sister kept looking at her but not in the same way she had been since they were reunited. She'd caught a look that said Alexis was half expecting her to be a dream and would disappear the moment she looked away. She'd also seen a look that was so full of love, gratitude, and longing fulfilled that she knew without a doubt that her sister loved her, missed her, and welcomed her back in her life without hesitation. The look in her eyes now however was full of pain so deep that it was crushing. "Are you thinking about Mama?"

Alexis looked surprised for a moment and then shook her head. "No, not Mama, but I guess in away I am thinking about our father."

"Mikkos?" Kristina asked, hoping to pull her sister into a conversation about what was troubling her so deeply. "What are you thinking about him?"

"About how he, either indirectly or directly, took from me the three people I loved the most in all the world." Alexis replied as she turned back to the window. "The three people who loved me almost as much as I loved them. Three pieces of my heart I never thought I'd ever get back."

Kristina moved closer to her older sister and pressed her hands against Alexis' back as she rested her chin on her shoulder. "Me, Mama, and who else, Alexis? Who else did Mikkos take from you?"

She hadn't told anyone and as far as she knew the only people who knew were herself and Mikkos. She never confided in Stefan, or even Jax who she loved, and trusted enough to tell him so openly the memories of her mother and lost infant sister. These memories, the ones now flooding her every moment, she had pushed these memories and the emotions that came with them to the deepest part of her soul and locked them away in an impenetrable box. Or at least it had been impenetrable until she held Kristina in her arms again. Having that piece of her heart back, a piece she never thought she'd have again, caused the box to dissolve and now Alexis was drowning in the memories, the emotions, and the scariest thing of all, the hope. If the piece of her heart that belong to Kristina could be returned, perhaps this piece could be as well?

"Alexis?" Kristina said softly. Her sister was so far away from her right now the older woman hadn't noticed Kristina turning her around her face her. "Natasha!"

Alexis blinked, her eyes filling with tears.

When the redhead realized her sister was back she asked again, "Who did Mikkos take from you?"

"My daughter." Alexis said in a trembling whisper.

Kristina's eyes went wide and she gasped a little before covering her mouth in shock. A moment later when she was recovered from what Alexis said she repeated, "Your daughter?"

Alexis nodded but didn't say anything more.

Taking her sister by the hand Kristina lead her to the couch before slipping into the kitchen and making them tea. She was wheeling from Alexis' revelation and wanted to know more, but Alexis seemed to be in shock just from uttering the words. After she pressed the cup of hot sweet tea into her sister's hands and watching her sip it for a few moments Kristina finally said, "You've never told anyone?"

Alexis shook her head and sipped her tea.

"Tell me, Alexis, tell me what happened." Kristina said lovingly.

Brown eyes locked with hazel that seemed almost as blue as their mother's in that moment. Several long minutes passed before Alexis finally began speaking. "Mikkos," It was almost painful to say his name, "sent me away when I was fourteen. He sent me to a boarding school here in the states to get me away from Helena and Stavros. I loved it. For the first time in years I was out from under their hate and contempt. I was finally able to thrive and develop into my own person. When I was sixteen I met someone and I got pregnant." Alexis whispered the last part as if she were afraid someone else would hear. She was silent for a moment, until Kristina reached out and took her hand, and then she looked up from the depths of her tea and once again into her sister's eyes. "I don't know how Mikkos found out so quickly. He was at my dorm room door before I'd been able to figure out a way to tell my baby's father. Oh, Kristina, you don't know how badly I wanted that baby. How badly I wanted to be her mother, to give her a life so full of love, the kind of love from my fuzzy memories of Mama, but Mikkos wouldn't allow it. He whisked me off to this clinic in Maine. A place for stupid, slutly little girls whose thoughtless actions endangered the well being of their family names, even if they didn't carry those names themselves."

"Alexis!" Kristina scolded at the description. "You weren't…"

Alexis shook her head. "I loved him, I think, my baby's father. He was the only one I'd ever been with and it had been my first time." She chuckled sadly. "My first time and I get pregnant, but it was such a lovely, such a loving first time." Alexis sighed as she finally set her mug of tea on the coffee table. "I loved being pregnant. Oh how I loved the little life growing inside my body. I read to her every night. I sang to her. I spoke to her in Greek and Russian so she'd be use to the sound of them as well as English. I explained what I was doing with my schoolwork. I spent every night dreaming of how I wanted things to be, of who she would be, only to have those dreams shredded to hell." The tears flowed down Alexis' cheeks like rivers. "I was still sixteen when she was born, Mikkos was my guardian, he signed away my parental rights, he placed her for adoption. I held my little girl, my perfect little daughter in my arms for an hour before they came for her, before they ripped her from my arms."

Kristina gathered her sister in her arms. She was shedding tears of her own as she held her sister while the woman wept for her lost child. When the sisters finally broke apart Kristina reached up and caressed Alexis' cheeks, wiping away her tears as she asked, "What was her name?"

Alexis blinked. "What? I didn't…"

"No, after the way you described your pregnancy, the way you bonded, she had a name." Kristina said softly. "What was it?"

Alexis hesitated before softly whispering, "Kristin."

"Mama would have like that." Kristina told her sister brightly.

"I've been wondering." Alexis said after a long pause. "I've been wondering if maybe I would have been able to keep her if Mama had been alive."

Kristina gave her sister a sad smile. "If Mama had been alive you're life would have been so different Alexis, so would mine, and neither of us would be who we are. Kristin may never have even been conceived." She watched her sister think about it and then nod before she asked, "Have you… have you ever tried to find her?"

"Once." Alexis admitted. "Just after Mikkos was killed. She would have still been a baby."

"What happened?" Her sister asked.

"I chickened out." Alexis admitted. "Mikkos promised me she would be given to a loving home, to people who would give her a loving, caring family, that she would be safe from people like Helena and Stavros. I went back to the clinic but I never asked. I got there and I suddenly thought what would happen if Helena found out about her? So I believed what Mikkos said, that she would be safer and that she would be loved, and I left. I went back to school and threw myself back into my studies."

"Which is why you're this young hot shot lawyer who makes people twice your age shake in their loafers." Kristina said trying to lighten the mood.

Alexis chuckled. "I graduated early and went right into law school. Worked just as hard there. It was easier to become obsessively compulsive with that then it was to feel."

Kristina nodded in understanding. "God Alexis. You've gone through so much in such a short life time."

"I'm not the only one who's suffered." Alexis said as she caressed her sister's cheek. "You lost your parents; twice."

The teenager sighed. "But I've found you."

Alexis smiled and pulled her sister to her and held her tightly. They sat there cuddled together, each lost in thought, for an hour before Alexis finally said, "Alright Kissy, it's late and you should get some sleep."

"Alexis." Kristina began to protest but stopped when her sister shook her head.

"I'll be alright." Alexis reassured. "It helped a lot to finally just say it all out loud. Thank you."

"You're not alone anymore Alexis." Kristina said as she hugged her sister. "I love you."

Alexis hugged her sister tight again. "I love you too little one." She pulled away and kissed her sister's forehead. "Now go to bed. I'm heading up myself soon."

"Ok." Kristina said. She got up and headed upstairs but stopped halfway and turned back to look at her sister for a moment. Just before Jax found her Kristina had lost her adoptive parents in a car accident. The sixteen year old was looking at a life with relatives she'd never felt comfortable with because she'd never felt accepted by them, but then Jax showed up with proof of her true identity and now here she was with her sister learning about whole lives that had gone on without her. Alexis had accepted her, she'd taken her in with no hesitation, loved her as if she had never stopped. She owed Alexis for taking her in, so after her sister left the next day for work Kristina picked up the phone. "Hi Jax, Kristina, I need to talk you about Alexis. Can you come over?"


	3. Chapter 3

Port Charles wasn't really what Carly had expected it to be. It was a harbor town with this odd city flair to it. It was small and communal and yet it was metropolitan. It was comfortable, exciting, safe, and dangerous all rolled up into one. The first thing Carly did when she and Sam finally got into town was to find a place for them to stay. Using a fake id that said she was twenty-one year old Carly Roberts she rented a room above a bar called Jake's. It had a back way up that let her sneak Sam in. It was small and crappy but at least it was warm, dry, and clean. She had been pretty amazed by her young travel companion. Sam seemed to thrive on the road and had helped her make them plenty of cash by pick pocketing and conning people at the bus stations and roach motels they stayed in. They had enough to keep the room for a while and enough to get food, but Carly knew it wouldn't last. She needed to figure out her next move and she'd need to do it soon. She and Sam had been getting the lay of the land for several days and Carly finally felt secure enough to get a little more information. She had heard in passing that a woman named Ruby owned this diner down by the docks and after a little digging at the library Carly was able to discover that this woman was Ruby Anderson, the same name that had been on her adoption papers.

"Come on half pint." Carly called towards the closed bathroom door. "I thought you were hungry."

Sam came out a moment later nodding her head. "I am. Are you going to get us breakfast?"

"We're going out." Carly said as she grabbed her key to the room and some cash.

Sam's big brown eyes lit up. "Really?"

Carly smiled at the girl and nodded. "Yes, really, come on."

The two walked down the back stairs and headed towards the docks. Sam loved the water. She drug her feet a little so she could watch all the boats and ships as they moved in and out of the harbor. "I like it here Carly." She told the older girl. "Cody use to leave me and Danny by the docks in Miami all the time. I loved being by the water." As they walked a little further Sam stopped and grabbed Carly's arm to stop her too. "Carly look! It's an island with a castle! In the middle of a lake! How weird is that?"

Carly laughed as she pulled the girl along. "This is a weird place, Sammie."

Sam beamed. "I like it."

"Do you remember our story?" Carly asked as they approached the diner.

Sam nodded. "I'm Sammie Roberts and you're my sister. You go to college and I'm visiting you during school break. We're just passing through on our way home from the city."

"That's right." Carly said with a smile that made Sam beam. "But that's just if we're asked questions, we don't want to have to do to much talking or interacting right now."

Sam nodded again. "We're priming the pigeon."

That made Carly laugh. "Priming the pigeon?"

"That's what Cody called it." Sam explained. "We're studying the mark. The more we know the easier the con. The more comfortable you are the easier it is to make them believe you. You have to be able to gain their trust, or at the very least know their every move."

Sometimes it was hard to believe Sam was only ten. Most of the time it was sad knowing Sam hadn't had much of a childhood. Carly had learned over the last few weeks that more then anything Sam was just another tool her so called father used to pull off cons. It made her grateful for her momma. At least Carly had been loved before the rug was pulled out from under her and the world went all wobbly.

Walking into the diner Carly led Sam over to a corner table that was out of the way but let her see everything going on. She handed the little girl a menu. "What would you like half pint?"

Sam looked it over and asked, "Can I have anything?"

Carly looked over her own menu and then nodded. "Sure, it's not an expensive place and we could use a treat."

"I wonder if they would put popcorn on the chocolate chip pancakes." Sam mused.

Carly looked at the girl oddly for a moment and then shook her head slightly as she chuckled. Sam could eat her weight in popcorn and never get tired of it. Carly really wasn't in a position to judge given her fondness for frozen pizza, the two foods were pretty much what the girls were living on. When the waitress came over Sam ordered the pancakes without popcorn while Carly ordered French toast. While they waited Carly looked around. There was a heavy set older woman behind the counter that she was watching closely. Sure enough someone coming in for their morning coffee called her Ruby.

Sam noticed Carly looking around so she carefully looked around too. When she saw the woman Carly was watching she whispered, "Is that her? The woman who forced your mom to give you away?"

Carly nodded. She'd shared a lot with Sam because she knew she could trust her. She wasn't like most ten year olds; she was use to keeping quiet because if she let something slip she could blow the con.

"She looks nice." Sam said as she watched the smiling woman. "She seems to know just about everyone."

"I guess so." Carly replied. "And if she does then we'll have to be extra careful around here. We don't want it getting back to her that we're snooping around." They stopped talking when their food came. The food was really good and both girls giggled and talked as they ate. For just that moment they were just what they seemed, two young girls enjoying time with their best friend. As they were finishing up Carly noticed a tall man with blondish, over permed, hair walk in. He went over to Ruby and kissed her cheek. Suddenly Carly's attention was solely on them rather then Sam. She heard the man call the older woman Aunt Ruby and then she heard the name she had burned into her brain, Barbara Jean. Carly frowned when their conversation became to low and whispered to hear from where she and Sam were sitting.

"Carly?" Sam said softly. "You ok?"

Carly turned to look at Sam as she replied, "I'm fine. Wow you must have been starved."

Sam giggled as she looked down at her empty plate. She wouldn't admit it to Carly but sometimes she really was that hungry, though she was use to it. Sometimes with Cody she only got a dollar hamburger for the day, or she and Danny would share a box of dry cereal. She knew that Carly would feel bad if she thought Sam was hungry, but she also knew they needed to stretch their money.

Luke had felt someone watching him and turned to look just as the girl in the corner looked away. He shrugged it off and went back to talking to Ruby about planning a party for Bobbie.

After paying the bill Carly and Sam headed for the park. Carly needed to think. What was she going to do now that they were there? Just walk up to this woman and say, "Hi, I'm your daughter, you know the one you threw away fifteen years ago?" She needed to figure out how to go about this. She needed to know more about this woman.

"Carly." Sam whispered. "There's a woman over there not paying attention. Should I grab her wallet?"

Carly blinked as Sam's voice pulled her out of her thoughts. "What? No, Sam, no we're good for now. Why don't you just go play?"

"Really?" Sam asked with a slightly confused look. They hadn't made any cash at all since arriving in Port Charles and Sam was wondering why. They couldn't have had that much extra cash on them.

Moments like this made Carly want to hurt Cody McCall. They were in a beautiful park and Sam's first instinct was to pick pockets, not to play on the swings or with the other kids? How sick was that? "Yes, really, go swing or something, be a normal ten year old for a while." She teased with a chuckle as she pushed Sam towards the play area.

Sam shrugged. "Ok." It was pretty clear that Carly wanted to be alone to think so Sam ran off to play. She went over to the swings and hopped on. A few minutes later a boy sat on the swing next to her and started swinging. She eyed him carefully from the corner of her eye.

"Hi." The boy said cheerfully, a smile on his lips.

Sam hesitated. "Um. Hi."

The boy smiled a little more, as if her were trying to put her at ease. "I'm Lucky."

Sam blinked. "Lucky about what?"

The boy smiled and shook his head. "No, my name is Lucky."

Sam scrunched her nose as she said, "That's a weird name."

Lucky continued giving her that almost roguish smile. "My real one is weirder. What's your name?"

"Sam." She answered.

"That's a boy's name." Lucky commented.

"Yeah well Lucky is a dog's name, or a cat's name, not a boy's name." Sam shot back.

Lucky laughed. "Good point." He paused a moment and then asked, "How high can you swing?"

"Higher then you!" Sam said and then giggled.

The two were having a good time seeing who could swing higher and jump off further until a very pretty blonde woman with stunning blue eyes called out, "Lucky! Come on honey it's time to go."

Lucky jumped off his swing. "That's my Mom, I have to go, bye Sam!"

Sam waved. "Bye Lucky." She jumped off her own swing and went over to Carly. "That was fun."

Carly smiled. "Good, I'm glad you had fun. Kids your age should have fun. You ready to go? I need to go back to the library and then stop by the hospital."

"Can I come with you?" Sam asked as she walked beside the older girl.

"To the library but I'm taking you back to the room after." Carly replied. She could see the girl began to protest but shook her head to cut her off. "I need to have a quick look around. It'll be easier on my own."

Sam sighed but nodded in understanding.

Walking the other way Laura smiled down at her son and asked, "Who were you playing with?"

Lucky smiled. "Sam."

"Does she go to school with you?" Laura asked.

Lucky shook his head. "No. I've never seen her before. She was nice though."

Laura nodded. There had been something oddly familiar about the girl but she'd just assumed she'd seen the girl at the school. "You ready to head over to Spoon Island to see Nicky?"

Lucky nodded and the two walked off.

According to the papers "Bobbie" Spencer-Jones was a nurse at General Hospital. She was married to a doctor named Anthony Jones and they had two kids; Barbara Jean "BJ" Jones, and a newborn adopted son named Lucas. This further fueled Carly's anger, especially the part where both of her new children were adopted. Her mother threw her away, walked away from her own flesh and blood daughter, but now she could be a mother to someone else's throwaways? What had been wrong with her? What had been wrong with Sam? Hell, what was wrong with this new little baby whose real mother didn't want him? How could a mother be so heartless?

After dropping Sam off at their room above Jake's Carly walked around the docks to cool off before heading over to General Hospital. It was a large enough hospital that no one noticed her roaming the halls. As she stepped off the elevator on the seventh floor she spotted what she was looking for, the woman whose picture she'd seen in newspaper clipping in the library. She was standing behind the nurses' desk writing in a file. She had wavy red hair and kept smiling at something the blonde chatty nurse beside her was saying. Carly moved carefully so she could watch her. She had a really nice smile, Carly thought for a second, then she remember that this was the woman who had tossed her away without a care in the world. When the woman looked up Carly saw her eyes, so bright and happy, they were the kind of hazel that was more brown and green then anything else. But despite the eye color, and the hair color, looking into this woman's face Carly could see her own looking back. It was a little staggering. Like most kids she'd looked for herself in her parents' faces, in their build, their heights, and so on. Until she'd been told she was adopted Carly couldn't understand why she couldn't see herself in either of her parents. But now, now she could see herself, she saw herself smiling, she saw the way her own nose crinkled when she laughed, and she could see the spark of something familiar in those eyes; the face and eyes of a stranger. Suddenly Carly couldn't breath and she tried to bolt but she ended up crashing into a cart.

"Oh!" Bobbie said as she saw the teen fall. She rushed over to her and smiled. "Sweetie, are you alright?"

Carly couldn't breath for a moment. Just like that, in the blink of an eye, the woman was there kneeling beside her, reaching out to help her up. She locked eyes with the woman and something inside her begged the woman to know, to just know who she was, and for a flicker of a second it felt as if something passed between them.

"Everyone ok?" Nurse Amy Vining asked as she walked over to join Bobbie and the fallen girl.

And just like that it was over and Carly was back in her right mind again. "Fine, I'm fine, I'm sorry I wasn't paying attention."

Bobbie smiled at the girl as she helped her up. "No harm done. Can I help you with something?"

Carly had to think quickly. "Um, no, thanks, I was just looking for, um blood lab?"

"You're on the wrong floor sweetie." Bobbie said as she pointed to the elevators. "Take those back down to three. When you get off go left and all the way down the hall then take a right. It's the first door after the turn."

"Thanks." Carly said as she managed to look embarrassed. She took one last look at Bobbie and then walked away.

When Carly got back to the room Sam couldn't wait to ask how things went. "Did you see her?"

"Yeah." Carly answered as she fell onto the bed.

Sam crawled over to her and sat close beside her. "Did you meet her?"

"Yeah." Carly answered as she put her arm over her head.

"Was she nice?" Sam asked.

"Yeah." Carly answered again.

Sam frowned. "Will you stop saying yeah? That's really annoying."

"Sorry." Carly said as she turned to look at Sam. "I saw her, I bumped into something and fell over and she came over to see if I was ok."

"What's she like? Is she pretty?" Sam asked.

Carly nodded. "She has red hair and brown green eyes and a nice smile."

That made Sam smile. "Did you tell her that you're her daughter?"

"No." Carly answered.

"Why not?" Sam asked with a frown.

"It isn't that easy Sam!" Carly snapped at the girl.

Sam put her hands on her hips, as she snapped back, "Why the hell isn't it?"

"Because it isn't!" Carly replied. "You just don't walk up to a perfect stranger and say something like that!"

"Well you have the proof right?" Sam asked just as hotly. She moved her hands from her hip to cross her arms over her chest. Then she unfolded one so she could point a finger at Carly. "You have a mom Carly! You should tell her! Don't be afraid and don't be stupid!"

"I'm not afraid of anything!" Carly argued. "And I'm not being stupid! I'm being careful! You know you can't rush a con!"

"This isn't a con!" Sam yelled as tears began to well in her big brown eyes. "This is your mom!"

The tears stopped Carly short. All her anger and hurt melted as she looked into the sadness of Sam's eyes. "Sammie?"

Sam huffed at the older girl and then ran into the bathroom and slammed the door. She slid down the door to sit in front of it. When Carly knocked she braced herself to keep the door from opening. "Go away!"

"Sam." Carly said through the door. "Sammie, I'm sorry, please come out and talk to me."

Sam shook her head as if Carly could see her through the door. "You get to have another mom, Carly, and you're going to blow it if you con her!"

"I don't care about me, Sammie." Carly told the girl through the door. "I don't need a mom, I'm grown, but you need one."

"I don't have one." Sam said sadly as tears rolled down her cheeks. "I've never had one, not really, Evelyn didn't want me, and she never loved me, she use to tell me all the time I was no kid of hers." Sam didn't know just how true that statement had been, she just thought her mom was being mean and hurtful.

Carly pressed her forehead against the door. "You have one, Sam, you have a mom. We just have to find her. That's why I need the money."

There was a long stretch of silence before the door cracked open. When Carly looked up Sam was standing there all red faced and puffy eyed. "I have a mom?" Sam asked. "But Evelyn died. Danny set the house on fire."

Carly sighed and shook her head. "She wasn't your mom, Sammie."

Sam frowned. "She wasn't?"

Carly shook her head. "I found your file at the home when I found mine. It said that Cody and Evelyn weren't your real parents." She paused. She hadn't planned on telling Sam until she'd found her mother. She didn't want the little girl to feel the way she felt.

"I was adopted?" Sam asked.

Carly nodded.

Fresh tears welled in Sam's eyes. "So, so no one wanted me. Not my real mom or dad and not Evelyn and not Cody. No one loved me."

"I do Sam." Carly said as she pulled the girl to her and hugged her tight. "I love you."

Sam hugged Carly back. She knew the older girl was telling her the truth because she loved Carly in return, and that's why she wanted Carly to be with her real mom. A real mom would love her. A real mom would take care of her. Sam wanted someone to love and take care of Carly because she did.

"Come on half pint." Carly said after a long moment. "Lets wash our faces and then head down to the movies. I'll teach you have to sneak in."

Sam sniffled and smiled. "I already now how."

"Ok," Carly said as she wiped at Sam's tears. "Then you can teach me how to sneak in."

"I can get us popcorn too." Sam said before going in to wash her face.

Carly wasn't sure how she was going to do it, but she was going to find Sam's mom, because she loved that little girl and she needed a home, a real one, not a cramped, crappy room above a bar.

And if she had to go as far as destroying her own birth mother's life to do it, she'd do it without hesitation.


	4. Chapter 4

Jax had been gone for several days on one of his spontaneous business trips so Alexis had lots of free time to spend with her sister. They'd gone to the spa, out to dinner, and spent a lot of time talking. It was so easy for Alexis to talk to Kristina and visa versa that they were quickly getting caught up on each other's lives. They were so comfortable with each other they were even starting to argue. Alexis wanted Kristina to go to a nearby prep school when the school year started, but Kristina wanted to go to public school. Kristina's argument was that if the Quartermain brothers could go to public school so could she. Alexis countered that the Quartermains, though wealthy and well off, were not the same as the Cassadines. Kristina rebutted by throwing up the fact that Alexis didn't identify as a Cassadine so she couldn't use that line of argument. The sisters finally agreed to put the rest of the school conversation away for a while as they were planning on having dinner with their brother and nephew at Windermere.

"Kristina." Alexis said as she stopped her sister from getting on the launch. "About what we talked about the other night. Please don't say anything to Stefan."

Kristina looked at her sister a moment and then finally nodded. "Alright, but you should tell him."

Alexis shook her head. "That's part of my past that I'd like to keep to myself. I know its selfish, but its mine. Can you understand?"

The teen nodded. Alexis smiled, kissed her forehead and then stepped onto the launch with her sister. When they reached the dark and imposing castle they were greeted by their older brother Stefan and their twelve-year-old nephew Nikolas. After their brother greeted them Nikolas followed suit with a well mannered, "Aunt Alexis. Aunt Kristina." Which made Kristina giggle. She put an arm around the boy and said; "You realize I'm only like four years older then you right?"

Nikolas smiled at her. "Yes, I know."

"Then stop being so stuffy with me." Kristina said. "Be stuffy with them. They're old."

"Hey!" Alexis protested with a chuckle.

Kristina smiled sweetly at her sister before dragging her nephew off. The boy simply would not loosen up around Stefan.

"Kristina looks well." Stefan said as he poured himself and Alexis a drink. "I'm pleased to see she has adjusted so well."

"She's still grieving her parents." Alexis said as she accepted the drink. "But she has made herself right at home." She smiled warmly as she sat down. "She's so bright and bubbly, Stefan, its almost hard to believe she's one of us."

"You mean that she is a Cassadine?" He asked.

Alexis nodded and laughed. "We're not the bright and bubbly type."

"True." Stefan agreed. "But I do believe that we have, as Kristina would say, lightened up since moving to Port Charles."

That nearly made Alexis snort out her drink, almost. "Well, I would agree that you have been a little more relaxed since moving here."

"I can see why you chose to stay in the states." Stefan admitted.

Alexis knew that it wasn't the American way of life that kept Stefan here it was Laura, but she was just smart enough to keep that to herself.

"How are you fairing Alexis?" Stefan asked his sister as he watched her carefully.

"Hmm?" Alexis replied. "I'm well, adjusting to living with a teenager, but to be honest I'm loving it."

The look in his sister's eyes, the brightness of her face, made him smile. Then he asked, "And the memories? Are you coping well with those?"

Alexis nodded. "It isn't easy remembering your own mother's murder, but it's getting better. The nightmares have stopped at least."

"If I can help in anyway." Stefan said caringly.

"I know." Alexis said brightly as she smiled at her beloved brother. "And thank you."

When dinner was ready everyone was called to the dinning room. The four Cassadines sat together and enjoyed each other's company. Kristina's mere presence seemed to lighten Stefan's normally rigid and formal demeanor, and Nikolas was also a lot more at ease. Alexis was enjoying her evening with her family, with her brother, sister, and nephew and as she listened to the sound of Nikolas' beautiful laugh she found herself wondering where her little girl would have fit into the picture. The sudden thought made her heart freeze and for a spilt second her whole body went rigid. Thankfully no one noticed, or at least she didn't think anyone had, but of course Kristina had become very intoned to her sister, she knew, and she understood.

When they finally got back to the penthouse Jax was waiting for them. The sight of him sitting on her sofa made Alexis smile. She went right to him and kissed him. Jax was tall, blonde, blue eyed and Australian. He was fun loving and open hearted, a free spirit with a happy outlook on life. He was nothing like Alexis and she loved it. He brought out those things she loved about him from some deep dark forgotten place in her. She and Jax had become fast friends when she first moved to Port Charles but it had been a well-meaning scheme that had brought them together. They were supposed to pretend to be in love, neither expected it to really happen.

"Miss me?" Jax asked with his boyish bright smile when the kiss ended.

Alexis smiled back. "A little."

Jax laughed. With Alexis in his arms he looked over to Kristina who was grinning at the two. "Hey Red."

"Did you have a successful trip?" Kristina asked. She knew why Jax had been out of town. It had been her favor that sent him on his mission. She knew Alexis would be upset with her for telling Jax about her daughter, but she thought her sister might have more peace of mind if she knew her daughter was well.

"It was a good start." Jax replied.

"Another big take over?" Alexis asked as she sat beside Jax on the sofa.

"Fact finding." Jax answered as he pulled her close. "So did you have a nice family dinner with Stefan?"

Alex looked up at him and smiled, "How did you know that's where we were?"

"Two reasons." Jax said. "One, you're dressed in a dark "I'm going to a funeral" suit."

"Hey!" Alexis huffed as she smacked him in the chest.

Jax smirked. "Two," He picked the Cassadine medallion that hung around her neck on a long gold chain. "You only wear this when you have dinner with your brother."

Kristina lifted up the one she was wearing and smirked.

"You too?" Jax asked with a laugh. "Didn't take long for him to brand you."

"Jax!" Alexis protested. "Be nice! These aren't brand's they're family tokens, that's all."

"Whatever it is," Kristina said with a giggle. She loved watching Jax and Alexis together. Theirs wasn't some kind of big dramatic epic love, but it was the kind of love that would last forever no matter what. "I'm going upstairs to take it off." She got up from where she'd been sitting on the other sofa and walked over to her sister. She kissed Alexis on the cheek. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight Krissy." Alexis replied.

"Night Red." Jax added.

"Goodnight." Kristina said with a knowing smile. "See you both in the morning."

Alexis blushed which made Jax smile even more. "So did you have a nice evening?" Jax asked again as he pulled Alexis close.

She nodded. "It was lovely. How was your trip?"

"It was fine." Jax replied. "I'll be taking another in a couple of days. I have some things I need to follow up on."

Alexis nodded in understanding and turned to face him. "Then I guess I should make good on the couple of days I have." She leaned in and kissed him. She squeaked a little when Jax stood and picked her up. Then she smiled as he carried her upstairs. Jax was still sleeping when Alexis left for the office the morning, or at least she thought he was, once he was sure she was gone for the day he got up and went downstairs to look for Kristina.

"So?" The redhead asked as she handed him a cup of coffee.

"Who made this?" Jax asked as he looked cautiously into the dark depths of the mug.

Kristina laughed. "I did." She reassured. Alexis wasn't known for having any kind of skill in the kitchen other than pressing the popcorn button on the microwave. "So? Fill me in already."

Jax took a sip and then settled onto the couch. "I found the clinic she was sent too and I found her records."

"And?" Kristina asked as she nearly bounced in her seat.

"Her baby was meant to be given to an adoption agency that Mikkos paid to place the baby with a well off American family in Hartford." Jax explained.

Kristina stopped bouncing and frowned. "Was suppose to go?"

"The lawyer for the agency was told the baby died." Jax explained. "He even had a death certificate."

"Oh, oh god no." Kristina said as tears welled in her eyes.

Jax moved over to her and put his hand on her knee. "I don't think that's what happened."

"You don't?" Kristina asked.

Jax shook his head. "I did a little more digging. There has been a lot of suspicion about that clinic. Some rumors of dirty dealing. I'm going to look into it a little more."

Kristina sighed and shook her head as she wiped a tear from her cheek. "If something bad happened, Jax, she'll blame herself."

"I know." Jax said. "But she didn't have a choice. I spoke to one of the nurses who was there when Alexis was. She remembered Alexis, she remembered how badly she wanted to keep her baby, but her "uncle" wouldn't hear of it. He gave her no choice what so ever."

"I wanted to give her peace of mind, Jax." Kristina said as she looked up at him. "What if her daughter isn't as safe and loved as she was led to believe?"

Jax gave her a one armed hug as he said. "We'll make it right."

"You really are to good to be true." Kristina chuckled. "You know that right?"

Jax smiled that dazing smile of his. "I just do what I can for those I love."


	5. Chapter 5

A few days ago Bobbie found a print out of the front page of the Jacksonville paper dated November 5th with a year that Bobbie would have liked to forget tucked under the wiper blade on her car. It was startling and a little unnerving. Then yesterday she found a deflated "It's a Girl" balloon with the same November date written on it in sharpie in her locker at the hospital. That had really set her on edge. But now, now Bobbie was really upset. She found a letter slipped under her door when she got home from work. It was dated once again November 5th. It read, "Do you remember her? Do you think of her? Is she you're dirty little secret?"

"Barbara Jean?" Luke called out as he walked into the brownstone.

"Over here." Bobbie said as she wiped at the tears on her cheek.

Luke frowned at the sight of his adored baby sister crying. "Barbara Jean, what's wrong?"

Bobbie handed him the letter. "Do you know the date?"

Luke looked it over and nodded. "Of course I do. I was there. I remember how you looked, how you couldn't take your eyes off her."

"Who would do this Luke?" Bobbie asked. "Who could find out and use it against me like that?"

"I don't know darlin' but I'll find out." Luke leaned over and kissed the side of her head. He lifted her chin and said, "You did the right thing, Bobbie. Our life back then, it wasn't meant for a kid, we couldn't bring her into that. Hell, we were just kids ourselves."

Bobbie gave her brother a weak smile. "I know. But I still wonder, I still think about her, I still miss her, and I still love her. I always will."

Luke put his arm around his baby sister and held her close. "That's because that's the person you are baby sister. You love."

In the park Carly watched Sam playing. She was thinking about wither or not the next little note she left for Bobbie should have a picture, a baby picture, would she even know it was her own daughter she was looking at? Her plan was to play with Bobbie for a little a while, let her know she had proof of what she did, and then threaten to expose her dirty little secret to her close nit little community if she didn't pay her price. Then she would use that money to take care of Sam and to find Sam's mother. It was a bit sloppy, but at least it was a plan.

Sam was playing with Lucky again. This time he had his big slobbery dog with him and they were both taking turns throwing the ball for him. Carly liked bringing her to the park because Carly thought she needed to be more of a kid. Sam liked playing with Lucky and Foster, but she liked the idea of helping Carly even more; they were a team. Tonight Carly needed her to pick a lock on an old brownstone house so she could get inside and leave her birth mother another little surprise. Sam could almost feel her little fingers itching to get at the lock and to get inside and look around.

"So how long are you staying in town?" Lucky asked as he threw the ball for Foster.

Sam shrugged. "As long as it takes."

"As long as what takes?" Lucky asked.

"For as long as it takes for Carly to get things done." Sam said. "Man you're nosey."

Lucky was going to ask another question when he heard his dad call out for him.

"Hey cowboy." Luke said with a smile. "Who's your little friend?"

"Hey Dad." Lucky said with a smile. "This is Sam."

Sam's eyes went a little wide. That was the man who helped give Carly away. Lucky was his son? She glanced at Lucky and than back at the man who was smiling at her.

"Well hi Sam." Luke greeted.

"Hi." Sam said. She looked at Lucky. "I have to go. My sister is waiting."

Luke watched as the little girl ran off and then shrugged before looking at his son. "I wanted to let you know that I'm taking off for a few days."

Lucky frowned. "Does Mom know?"

"Yes." Luke said with a roll of his eyes. "Mom knows. I need to do something for your aunt Bobbie. I'll be back soon."

"Ok." Lucky hugged his dad goodbye before going to find his mom.

Sam ran up to Carly and started rambling. "That boy Lucky is Luke's son he's related to your real mom I didn't know Carly I didn't and I didn't tell him anything either even though he asked a lot of stupid questions I promise I stuck to the story I swear."

Carly blinked. When Sam got nervous or scared she rambled without taking a breath. "Easy Sammie, breath." She waited until Sam took a breath and then said, "Ok, now tell me that again slowly."

Sam explained everything.

"Its ok Sam." Carly told the girl as she reached out and rubbed her arm in a comforting way. "I don't care about Luke. Its Bobbie I'm after."

"But he's the one who forced her to give you up right?" Sam asked.

Carly nodded. "Him and their aunt, but in the end she agreed, she made the choice and signed the papers, and she's the one who has what we need."

"I wish you would just tell her." Sam said as she sat beside the older girl.

"Sam." Carly sighed. "We've been over this."

Sam nodded. "I know. She hurt you so you're gonna hurt her back."

Carly's eyes got huge. "Sammie! That's not it at all!"

"Its ok Carly." Sam said. "Sometimes I hope my real mom hurts too. Sometimes I hope no one wants her either."

Carly sighed. She didn't want Sam to feel the way she felt. She had kind of hoped that finding out she was adopted would help Sam feel better, not worse. "Sammie, you're situation isn't the same."

Sam shrugged. "You don't know that."

"Come on." Carly said as she stood up. She didn't know what else to say or do, other then finding Sam's mom and making things right for the little girl before she ended up any more like her. "We need to get ready for tonight."

That perked the little girl up and she went with Carly without a fuss. That night they waited outside the brownstone for the right moment to go inside. There was some event happening that would have most of the people who lived there out for the night. It was a quick in and out so Carly wasn't to worried about time. Once Carly was sure no one was inside she nodded to Sam who made quick work of the lock. The home was beautiful and warm. There were pictures on the mantle of her mother's new family and it made Carly sad and angry. A small part of her told her she was being a drama queen, that she was overreacting again, but a larger part of her was simply too hurt to care.

"Its so nice." Sam whispered as she took it all in. It was one of the nicest houses she'd ever been in.

"Yeah." Carly whispered back.

The girls made their way upstairs and quickly found Bobbie's bedroom. Carly wanted to leave the picture and copy of the parental rights weaver where Bobbie and only Bobbie would find it. She picked the jewelry box.

"Wow." Sam whispered at the jewelry inside. "She must be rich."

Carly snorted. "Just well off and spoiled." She fingered a couple of the pieces, picking up a necklace and holding it against her neck, and for a moment she thought of just taking a piece or two and pawning it. Surely that would be enough to find someone to help her find Sam's mother, but if she did that Bobbie wouldn't suffer, and she needed too suffer. So she put the necklace back and placed the picture and copy in the box.

"Come on Carly." Sam whispered. "We should go."

The older girl nodded. She led Sam back downstairs and through the house. They were just making their way out the back door when the front door opened. Carly paused and listened.

"I'm sorry Tony." Bobbie said. "I wasn't very good company tonight."

"Are you sure you're ok?" Tony asked.

Bobbie nodded and gave him a smile. "I'm just tired. I'm going to head to bed. You should go back to the party."

Tony returned her smile. "I hate those things and you know it."

Sam was a little scared about getting caught so she pulled Carly away from the backdoor. Carly was reluctant but went with her anyway. When they got back to their room at Jake's Sam asked, "Why did you freeze? We could have been caught!"

"I'm sorry." Carly said. "I wouldn't have let us get caught. I wouldn't do anything that risked us going back to a home." She sighed. "I'm not sure why I stopped."

"She's your mom, Carly." Sam said as if that answered the question.

"Don't start!" Carly snapped.

Sam held up her hands. "Sorry."

Carly sighed and shook her head. "I'm taking a shower."

Back at the brownstone Bobbie was getting undressed. She'd taken off the jewelry she was wearing and went to put it in her jewelry box. When she opened it and found the picture and copy she yelped.

"Bobbie?" Tony asked with concern as he came up behind her. He saw what she had in her hand and that her hand, her whole body was trembling. "What is that?"

She had never told him about the little girl she had out there somewhere. Part of her was afraid to, afraid he wouldn't understand, and a part of her simply didn't want to face that kind of pain again. When he took the picture and copy from her hand she didn't fight him. When he led her over to their bed and sat her down she didn't fight him. When he looked at her with those concerned and loving eyes she let herself fall against his chest and cry. When she calmed down she told him everything.

"You were a child yourself, Bobbie." Tony said when she was finished. "You did the right thing."

When she saw him pick up their phone she stopped him. "What are you doing?"

"Someone broke into our home." He told her. "I'm calling the police."

Bobbie shook her head. "Don't. Please. Luke's handling it."

Tony sighed in frustration. "Of course he is."

When Carly came out of the bathroom she found Sam sitting on the bed looking at what looked like a framed picture. "What is that?"

Sam didn't look up as she said, "I never looked like Evelyn or Cody. Danny does, but I don't. You look like your mom, cept for the hair and color of your eyes. I wonder who I look like."

Carly walked over and snatched the picture of Bobbie that Sam had in her hands. "You swiped this?"

Sam nodded. "From the living room on our way out."

"Why?" Carly demanded.

"I don't know." Sam said with a shrug. "I thought maybe you'd like…"

"Sam!" Carly yelled at the little girl. "You need to stop! You need to stop thinking that I'm going to have some kind of happy ending with this woman! She gave me up! She abandoned me! Why would I want to go back to her?"

"Why do you want me to go back to mine?" Sam yelled right back. "I was tossed away too! Why do I have to go be with my mom when you don't want to be with yours? Why can't we just stay together! You just want to dump me off just like everyone else!"

Carly was taking by surprise. She hadn't realized how badly Sam just wanted to be with her and how scared she was bout being left again. "I'm not dumping you off, Sammie, I would never do that!" She said as she pulled the younger girl into her arms and hugged her. "You need a mom Sammie, a real one, one that will love you and stuff."

"She didn't love me enough to keep me the first time." Sam said as she hugged Carly back, her little voice cracking. "She didn't even give me to nice people who wanted me, or loved me. At least you had a mom and dad who loved you and wanted you before they died. You're the only person who's ever wanted me."

"Oh Sammie." Carly sighed. "I do want you with me, and I do love you, but you need more than that, you deserve more than I can give you."

Sam sniffled. She was trying so hard no to cry. "Maybe, maybe that's what our real moms wanted too."

Again Sam had left her surprised. That was an awfully big thought for such a little girl. "Maybe." She sighed. "Hopefully, for you at least."


	6. Chapter 6

It had taken a lot of legwork and a lot of greased palms but Jax was finally able to make some headway. As it turned out the clinic Mikkos had taken Alexis to did in fact deal dirty when it came to the mothers and babies in their care. The clinic was part of an illegal adoption ring. They were getting twice the pay offs from the babies that the young mother's were delivering. Not every baby was a victim but enough were that it had started to raise questions, but no one until Jax was willing to actually look for answers. The director of the clinic arranged with the family of the girl to keep her predicament a secret and then hand the baby off to a well-respected private adoption agency. Because the families whose daughters came to clinic were well off they wanted their precious little mistakes handed off to people just as well off. That's how it was meant to work and did work ninety-five percent of the time. Those other five percent never made it to the agency, even though their families money made it into clinics accounts, no those unlucky five percent ended up with a baby broker and that money had ended up in the director's accounts.

After finding the name Carter Tate and getting the information he wanted from him Jax made sure the police were well aware of Mr. Tate and his business. Alexis' baby, despite what was in her official records at the agency, was not dead, or at least she hadn't died the way everyone thought. She'd been sold off illegally. Thankfully Tate kept names just incase. With the name of the man who had "adopted" Alexis' baby Jax was working on tracking him down. He was using his friend Angel, a PI, and his backup lawyer Diane Miller since he couldn't very well use Alexis. If his best friend's little girl was out there he would find her and if she weren't in the perfect loving home Alexis had been promised, he was bringing her home where she belonged.

Half an hour ago Angel had called to tell him Cody McCall was in St. Louis. She also let him now the name had one hell of rap sheet. Jax had her and all her information on stand by. Jax had been surprised to find out the man had a mentally handicapped son and for the boy's sake he choose not to confront the man in the seedy motel he was staying in. Instead he was waiting for the man at the makeshift office where he was running his latest con on flood victims. The man that walked in was thin and haggard looking with short-cropped hair and devious looking eyes. How did anyone take him seriously?

"Cody McCall?" Jax asked even though he already knew who he was.

The man stiffened. That was not the name he was using on this con. "Sorry, no, I'm James Appleton. You must have the wrong…"

Jax cut him off. "Cody McCall, wanted in several states for fraud and…" When Cody attempted to run Jax quickly caught him and threw him against the wall. "And the illegal acquisition of a child and kidnapping."

"Hey, hey!" Cody protested as he tried to get the much taller foreign man off him. "I ain't no kidnapper!"

"A little girl." Jax said as he pulled Cody away from the wall and then slammed him into again. "Ten years ago you and your wife bought a little girl like she was a chicken from the market. Where is she?"

Cody's eyes got wide. He was a con, he wasn't a fighter, and if things got rough he ran. Which is why he didn't have Sam with him, why he'd left her back in Florida. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Where is the little girl you bought from Carter Tate?" Jax asked again. "I have the proof, Mr. McCall, and unless you start talking to me within the next few minutes so will the police. I've got enough on you to send you away for a long time."

"You send me away and you'll never know where the brat is." Cody replied as he tried once again to shove the bigger man away.

Jax knocked him into the wall again. "Fine, I'll just ask your son."

"You stay the hell away from my boy." Cody hissed as he lunged at Jax.

Jax was quicker and he had the skills to knock Cody on his ass. "Where's the girl?" He demanded while towering over the other man.

Cody gave in a bit and answered, "She ain't with us."

Jax snatched the man by the front of his shirt, pulled him close, and got right in his face as he hissed. "Where is she then?"

"Don't know." Cody answered.

It was clear that this man didn't care about the girl. She had been, just as Jax had feared, a tool in his cons. He was no more a father to her then to a fake passport. She was a part of whatever story he was weaving to pull off whatever con. Taking his cell phone from his pocket he hit speed dial. "Angel, send them in." After he hung up he tossed Cody to the floor and walked away. As he got into his rental car and pulled off cops swarmed the makeshift office. He drove over to the motel where Angel had been watching the room. He knocked on the door. "Danny," He called out. "Cody sent me. Let me in buddy."

Jax hated using the kid but he was able to find out that Sam, that was her name, Samantha McCall, had been left behind in Florida. It was also very clear that the thirteen year old missed his baby sister, and that he cared about her a lot. Jax promised to find her. He also promised that Danny would be all right. After leaving him with Angel, Jax called Diane to set things up to have Danny put in a very good school that specialized in his disability. Jax was pretty much a sucker for kids and couldn't stand to see them suffer in any kind of way.

In Florida Jax's hunt slowed a little. The girl could be anywhere. He figured Cody had taught her to stay under the radar, but just in case he let a few people in the right places know who he was looking for, and thanks to Danny he even had a photograph. Sitting in his hotel room Jax looked at the battered Polaroid. The big dark eyes, the smile, the dimples, the wavy dark hair, it was like looking at a smaller version of Alexis. The little girl was on the small side and he wondered if that was just her build or if she were malnourished or something. When his cell phone rang he answered it while still looking at the picture and thinking of Alexis. "Jax."

"Hey you."

Jax smiled at the sound of Alexis' voice. "Hey you. I was just thinking about you."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah." He put the picture in his pocket. "We need to talk when I get back. Its important."

After speaking with Alexis for a while Jax called and checked in with his contacts. One had something for him. Two missing kids from a group home, one of which matched the kid he was looking for right down to the first name. Jax headed over to the home to talk to the adults there. On his way out with a little more information then he had before speaking with the people inside, Jax was surprised to find he suddenly had company. "Luke?" He asked as he eyed the older man who was leaning on his renal car.

"Jax." Luke greeted. "Saw you head inside and that got me to wondering, what would you be doing here? Then I thought this is just to big a coincidence, the two of us here, at this time, asking questions at this place, with two missing girls on loose. So, who's the little tyke hanging out with my runaway niece?"

Jax blinked. "Niece?"

Luke smirked. "I'll tell you my family secrets if you tell me yours?"

"They're not mine to tell." Jax said as he pushed past the man.

Luke was a smart man. He knew that Jax would do anything for the people he loved and right now he loved Alexis. "Is she another Cassadine sibling?"

Jax ignored him for the most part. He couldn't help but shoot him a rather nasty, almost daring look that said to back off, before slipping into the car.

The fieriness in the normally even-tempered man's eyes was all Luke needed. It was the kind of look that said he'd hurt someone for the person he was thinking about. Luke thought back and slowly it started to click. The way she was with Niky boy, with Luke, the flash of something in her dark eyes when he told her Laura was having another baby, a little girl. He got into the car as and looked at Jax. "She's Natasha's girl."

Jax turned to glare at the man. The dangerous look of a man protecting the woman he loved.

Luke held up his hands. "I care about Natasha and you know it. The sleaze bags in there said that my niece took off with a little girl, a girl who's age would date back to when Natasha was in boarding school. I can't imagine Mikkos was happy with that." When it looked like Jax might beat him and enjoy it he shifted the one sided conversation. "I'm looking for my niece. Bobbie was around the same age and in the same predicament, for the most part anyway. I'm guessing you're looking for the girl. We might have better luck working together."

"Bobbie's daughter?" Jax asked. Luke nodded. Jax liked Bobbie so for her sake he agreed. "Alright."

Several days later Jax was walking into Alexis' penthouse. He looked a little defeated but not hopeless. He and Luke had tracked the girls north to New York and to his surprise, though not so much to Luke's, to Port Charles. Apparently despite being raised by someone else Luke's niece was a natural Spencer and the older man took great pleasure in that. He didn't seem bothered what so ever that there was a fifteen-year-old girl and a ten-year-old girl out there alone somewhere. What where they doing for money? Food? Shelter? It had Jax feeling very uneasy.

"Hey!" Alexis said brightly when she came into the room to see Jax standing there. She walked over and kissed him. "When did you get back?"

"Just now." Jax replied. He hugged her tight and then led her over to the couch. "Alexis, we need to talk."

"Uhoh." Alexis said lightly. "That's a pretty serious tone for you." She reached up and caressed his face. "What's wrong?"

Jax swallowed against his suddenly dry throat and licked his lips. He took her hand as he said, "Its about your daughter."

Alexis froze. She stopped breathing, she stopped moving, and for a moment even her heart stopping beating. Then she exploded. She ripped her hand from his and jumped to her feet. "Excuse me?"

Jax licked his lips again. "You're daughter Alexis. I know…"

"KRISTINA!" Alexis yelled as she turned towards the stairs.

The redheaded teenager came running downstairs. "Alexis? What's wrong?"

Alexis advanced on her sister with such anger and hurt in her eyes that Kristina backed up a step. "You told Jax! I shared that with you and only you in a moment of weakness, Kristina! That was something between you and me, between me and my sister, and you broke that trust!"

"Alexis please!" Kristina said as her sister continued to yell at her. The look in her sister's dark eyes was crushing and tears welled in her own eyes. "Alexis! I… I just wanted to help… I though if you knew…"

Alexis was still going off without breathing. Jax finally got up and reached out for her. He grabbed her arm and forced her to turn to look at him. "I found her."

Alexis stopped dead again. Several long seconds passed before anyone in the room even breathed let alone spoke. Finally Alexis asked, "You… You found her?"

"I tracked her down." Jax told her. "I know who she is. I just don't know where she is yet."

"What the hell does that mean?" Alexis demanded as she threw her arms in the air.

Jax started at the beginning. Kristina watched as her sister sank onto the couch as she listened to what happened to her baby girl. Tears welled in Alexis' eyes and her body trembled. Even though she was still a little leery of her sister's fury Kristina sat beside her and put her arms around her as Jax explained about Cody McCall and the Florida State group home. He told her about Luke and saw a new flash of anger over his sharing her secret with the man. "He helped, Alexis, Sam's with his niece." He then explained what he knew of Bobbie and her experience. Finally he ended by telling her, "They're here, Alexis. Caroline, Bobbie's daughter, tracked her down and Luke and I think they're here. He thinks she's the one who's been leaving Bobbie these little notes about her adoption, to get Bobbie's attention or something."

Alexis took it all in but she was feeling really overwhelmed.

Jax could tell Alexis was drowning in all the sudden information so he pulled the picture out of his pocket hoping that it would give her something to cling too. He handed it to her.

Alexis gasped. Without a doubt she knew she was looking at her little girl. She was looking at her own eyes, her own dimples, and so many of her own features looking back at her from the battered picture. She was beautiful. Even in the Polaroid she could still see the same light she'd seen in the eyes of that newborn little girl she held in her arms ten years ago.

"Alexis." Kristina said carefully.

Alexis held up her hand to stop her sister. "You had no right."

"I know but…"

"Jax," Alexis said cutting her sister off. "We need to find her. She's only a little girl."

"We're looking." Jax promised. "I already have one of my lawyers setting things up for when we do. If it's what you want you'll have her back, Alexis."

"If its what I want?" She repeated as she looked at him as if he were out of his mind. "If its what I want! Its all I've ever wanted!"

"I'll find her." Jax promised. "Alexis, I will bring her home to you, I swear."

Alexis nodded and then stood up and headed for the stairs.

Jax and Kristina watched as Alexis went upstairs and then looked at each other. There were huge tears in the teenager's eyes. "She's just in shock, Kristina."

"I didn't mean to hurt her." Kristina said softly. "I wanted to do something for her, to repay her for what she's done for me."

"She's your sister, Kristina, you don't have to repay her for loving you." Jax comforted her. "And once she's gotten over the shock of all this and shorted out all the emotions that's come bubbling up she'll talk to you about it."

Kristina nodded as she wiped a tear from her cheek.

Jax leaned in and kissed the top of her head. "I'm going to go down to the police station and talk to Mac. You gonna be ok?"

Kristina nodded. "I'll be fine. Go bring her baby back to her."

Later that night Alexis knocked gently on her sister's bedroom door before walking in. "We need to talk."

Kristina nodded as she sat up. "Alexis, I never meant to hurt you. I just thought if you knew about her you'd feel better about it."

"I know you were just trying to do something special for me." Alexis replied as she sat beside her sister on the bed. "But I'm still hurt that you shared something so private."

"I'm sorry." Kristina said as she dropped her head.

Alexis put her finger under her sister's chin and tilted her head up. "I love you, Kristina, and even though I was hurt its turning out for the best. She needed me, Krissy, and I wouldn't have known if you hadn't have told Jax and sent him to find her. Thank you."

"I love you too, Alexis." Kristina said softly. "I never meant to break your trust in me."

"I know sweetheart." Alexis told the teen. "I shouldn't have gone off on you like that. Its just that I've held that so close for so long it just felt deeply personal to let it go, to share it and have it out there for someone else to know." Kristina's whole body relaxed when Alexis pulled her into a tight hug. "We're ok, Krissy."

That night Alexis kept waking up to the sound of a baby cry. For months after her daughter was born the sound of her first cry haunted her both in her dreams and during her day. She would be sitting in one of her classes with the only sound a ticking clock and suddenly she'd hear that phantom cry and Alexis' whole body would ache, her heart would pound in her chest so painfully that people asked is she was ok. As time passed the sound of the cry drifted away but now that she knew her daughter was close and that she needed her she could hear it again. Getting up from her bed she slipped on her robe and padded downstairs to the kitchen for some tea. While she waited for it to brew she went to stand by her terrace doors. "Where are you little one?"


	7. Chapter 7

Sam shot up in bed breathing hard. She had been having the oddest dream and it must have startled her awake. Looking over she noticed that Carly was still sound asleep and she smiled. Carly slept like rock. Slipping out of the bed she was sharing with her friend Sam went to the bathroom to wash her face and get a drink of water. Since she didn't feel like going back to sleep Sam perched herself on the toilet tank so she could look out the small window in their bathroom. She was still trying to wrap her head about the fact that Cody and Evelyn had adopted her, though it certainly did explain a lot. Even as a little kid she knew that Evelyn didn't like her and didn't really want her around. To Evelyn she was just another mouth to feed. Cody tried, at least he liked her, but she didn't think he loved her. To Cody she was more like a really small buddy than a daughter.

So why was she with Cody and Evelyn in the first place? Why wasn't she with her real mom and dad? Was there something wrong with her? Sam's mind drifted to the woman who was out there somewhere, the one who belonged to Sam, the one Sam belonged to. Was she nice? Did she like popcorn too? Did she talk really fast sometimes, so fast that she forgot to breath? Did she like to look up at the stars? Did she love to swim? What if they found her and she still didn't want Sam? That last question bothered Sam and yet it would be ok as long as she got to stay with Carly. She and Carly could take care of each other. The thought of her friend made her sigh. Carly wanted Sam to be with her mother, to have a home and someone to love her. Sam wanted the same for Carly. She had tried to argue with her friend again. She'd pointed out to her that her mother was the same age Carly is now when she had her; maybe she was to young to care for a baby. Carly replied that she was taking care of her wasn't she, so why couldn't her mother have done the same? Sam then pointed out that a baby is lot more work then she was, she was ten, she was practically grown, which had made her friend laugh.

"Sammie?" Carly's sleepy voice called out.

Sam got off the back of the toilet and went back into the bedroom. "Yeah?"

"You ok?" Carly asked.

Sam climbed back into bed and snuggled with her friend and protector. "Yeah, I'm ok. Go back to sleep."

"You too." Carly said as she put her arm around the younger girl and snuggled before drifting back to sleep.

The next morning as the girls got ready for the day Carly thought about her next move. She'd left a couple more little notes for Bobbie and now would be the perfect time to ask for the money. There was a big birthday bash being planned and Carly was going to threaten to revile Bobbie's dirty little secret at the party. The only hitch to her plan was the small tug of doubt she was having about all of this. She'd been watching Bobbie. She'd seen the woman staring at the picture she'd left. She watched from a distance as the woman looked longingly at her children, as if suddenly there were someone missing. Had she seen regret on the woman's face? No, it didn't matter; it didn't matter if she did regret giving her away. This wasn't about her it was about Sam. Or at least that's what she kept telling herself anyway.

"You ready half pint?" Carly asked the little dark haired girl.

Sam beamed and nodded her head. "I keep her busy while you slip the note into her purse."

Carly nodded and held out her hand to the girl. The two made their way to Kelly's because they knew that every Wednesday morning Bobbie had breakfast at the diner so she could talk to her aunt. They waited unseen outside the diner until they saw the woman walking towards them. Sam sprung from her hiding place with her battered old backpack so she'd look as if she were on her way to school. Then suddenly just as she was in Bobbie's line of sight she fell, and just as they knew the mother and nurse would do, Bobbie rushed over to the girl.

"Oh, sweetheart, are you alright?" Bobbie asked.

Sam had the crocodile tears going as she replied, "My ankle!"

With Bobbie's attention fully on Sam Carly made her way over to where Bobbie had dropped her things. She reached for the note with her demands, which she had in her back pocket, but as she slipped it out she felt a hand wrap around her wrist. Spinning around she saw Bobbie's brother standing there.

"Hello darlin'." Luke greeted.

Sam saw the man and screamed. "Carly!"

Carly screamed back as she tried to pull away from Luke. "Sammie run!"

Bobbie was confused but quickly snapped out of it. She reached for the little girl she was kneeling next to but the little girl was too quick for her. She watched as the girl jumped to her feet and ran off. Getting up Bobbie went over to where Luke was struggling with a way to thin blonde teenager. "Luke?"

"Barbara Jean." Luke said as he managed to wrap his arms around the girl and hold her against his body.

"Let me go!" Carly said as she struggled and tried to stomp the man's foot. "Let me go you son of bitch! Help! Help!"

"Now darlin', is that any way to speak to your dear old uncle Luke?" Luke asked as he tighten his grip.

Carly froze.

Bobbie stared in shock. "Luke?"

"Barbara Jean," Luke repeated with a smirk. "I'd like you to meet Caroline Benson. You're daughter."

The ruckus outside the diner had drawn a crowd, Ruby and Mac among them. Mac was the one who stepped up to the Spencers. "Is that the girl you and Jax were looking for?"

"Hey Bubba! How's life?" Luke replied with a smile. He could feel the girl's body go tense. She could sense a cop no matter how he dressed. She was a Spencer and Luke had to admit he was impressed with the girl.

Mac scanned the area quickly. "Where's the younger one?"

Luke jerked his head in the direction the little one went in. "She ran."

When they started talking about Sam Carly started to fight again. She couldn't let them get Sam. She threw back her elbows as hard as she could to get the man to loosen his grip and when he did she slammed her foot into his shin, while throwing her head back, busting him in the nose. Breaking out of his hold she took off running towards the docks. Unfortunately for her Bobbie called out to her, "Caroline wait!" and something deep inside her caused her to hastate. That slight hesitation gave Mac the split second he needed to catch her.

From the shadows Sam watched with tears streaming from her terrified eyes as the adults drug Carly away. She watched until everyone was out of sight and then carefully slipped away because she knew people were looking for her. She and Carly had a meeting place just incase something like this happened so she would go there and wait for Carly to sneak away. Carly always snuck away.

Bobbie was standing in the police station looking through a window at a very scared, very angry looking teenage girl, her girl, according to Luke. When they got there he showed her the letter she was trying to slip into her purse and she'd read it in disbelief. "Why Luke? Why would she do this? I don't understand."

Luke explained everything he'd learned about Caroline in Florida. He told his sister that her daughter had had a good home but that she'd lost both her adoptive parents to bad health and that she'd spent the last three years in the foster system. He told her about Sam and how close they were and how the girls had run off together. He also explained, rather proudly, how Caroline had tracked her down and came to Port Charles.

"To extort money from me?" Bobbie asked with a shake of her head.

Luke shrugged. He figured there was more to it but he also figured that was Caroline's business.

"Are you sure that's her?" Bobbie asked.

Luke pulled out the copy of Carly's file he had on him. It included a picture. "That's her."

Inside the integration room Mac was trying to get Carly to talk to him but she refused. "That little girl is out there alone." He tried. "You need to tell us how to find her."

"I don't need to tell you shit." Carly replied as she sat there with her arms crossed and the most pissed off look she had ever had before. She was scared but she tired like hell not to show it.

"Was the girl with you Samantha McCall?" Mac tried. "There are people looking for her. People who want to help."

"Get bent." Carly replied.

Mac sighed. It was clear he wasn't getting anywhere with her so he got up and joined the others outside. He walked over to Bobbie and Luke looking just as confused as everyone else. "She isn't talking, or at least, she isn't saying anything worth hearing."

Bobbie looked through the window at the girl and then said, "Let me talk to her."

"I don't know Bobbie." Mac started to protest.

"She's my daughter, Mac." Bobbie replied.

"Yeah, about that, um, daughter?" Mac asked. "I thought you couldn't have kids?" The look of pain in Bobbie's eyes made Mac sorry he'd said the last part. "Sorry, I didn't mean…"

"That happened later." Bobbie sighed and for the first time of a hundred times to come she explained. Mac already knew her past, knew about her being a hooker, but no one had known how young she'd been when she'd started, or that one of her first encounters had lead to a pregnancy. Bobbie sighed again. The few people who knew the story already looked at Ruby with a small hint of contempt, how could she have put Bobbie into the line of work? She could only imagine how they would look at her now; knowing Bobbie had been so very young.

"How can you be sure?" Mac asked when Bobbie was finished. She showed him the file Luke had just showed her.

While Mac was looking over the papers Bobbie walked away and into the room where Carly was. The papers had just been the hard evidence, looking at the girl caused a feeling deep down in Bobbie; somehow she just seemed to know. When she realized that the girl she was looking at was the one she'd seen weeks ago she berated herself; why hadn't see seen it then? The girl looked up at her with a look that was somewhere between a deer in the headlines and a rabid badger. "Hi."

Carly clenched and unclenched her jaw. She felt trapped and scared and those emotions never really lead to Carly doing anything smart.

Bobbie slipped into the seat across from her and stared at the girl. If she had simply known that day in the hospital none of this would be happening. Shouldn't a mother know her own child at first sight? Bobbie took Carly in and she couldn't deny it now, she was looking into the eyes of her child. The only flesh and blood child she would ever have, and that made Bobbie want to protect the girl even more.

The staring went both ways until Carly became uncomfortable. "What are you looking at?"

"I'm sorry." Bobbie said with a soft smile. "I was staring at you. You're very pretty. I can see some of my mother in you, your eyes, your hair."

Carly's throat tightened.

"I can't believe you're sitting there." Bobbie said softly. "I never thought…"

"You'd ever have to see me again?" Carly cut in. "Sorry to spoil it for you."

Bobbie was taken aback. "No, no, that's not it at all." She paused, took a breath. "Yes, I never thought I'd see you again, but I've wanted too. There hasn't been a day where some part of me hasn't thought of you."

Carly snorted in disgust and disbelief. She didn't believe Bobbie; she was to hurt and angry to really listen.

"We have a lot to talk about, Caroline." Bobbie said gently.

"Carly." Carly barked at the woman. "No one calls me Caroline but my Momma, and she's dead."

"I'm sorry." Bobbie said quickly. "I'm so sorry about your parents, Carly."

Outside the men were watching through the window when Jax came into the room. "Mac?"

Mac turned to face the man. "We have one of the girls you told us about, the older one, the little one ran off. Bobbie's trying to get her to tell us…"

Jax walk towards the closed integration room door and flung it open. "Where's Samantha?"

Carly looked the man up and down and raised an eyebrow at him. He was gorgeous! But she didn't let that mellow her out any, "Excuse me? Who the hell are you?"

Jax came closer. "She's ten years old and she's alone in a strange city without you. She's probably scared and more then a little freaked out. Where is she?"

"What the hell do you care Crocodile Dundee?" Carly snapped back at the man. Then he said the one thing she wasn't expecting.

"I care because I'm trying to get her back to her mother." Jax said honestly.


	8. Chapter 8

Alexis was sitting in the living room of Windermere. With Jax out looking for her daughter and the girl being so close, and there being a real possibility of getting her back, she decided it was time to talk to her brother. Part of her was afraid, an old part that was still connected to her past and to what he meant to her back then, of his reaction. Would he think less of her for because of this? Would it matter to her if he did? Looking up from the drink he had poured her she cleared her throat and began.

"When I was away at boarding school I felt like I could be myself for the first time since coming to the island." She took a deep breath. "I guess you could say I blossomed."

Stefan nodded. "It was good for you. I remember. I was proud of you for finding your way, finding yourself."

Alexis smiled a little at that but the smile faulted. "I fell in love, Stefan. I feel in love with a wonderful boy who surprised me with a romantic evening on my sixteenth birthday." She paused to take another deep breath. She didn't want to rush through this in her normal breathless habit. "He gave me the greatest gift I've ever gotten in all my life that night." She looked up into her brother's loving green eyes. "Nine months later our father ripped her heartlessly from my arms."

Stefan was still for a moment and then asked, "You bore a child? When you were sixteen?"

"A baby girl." Alexis said with a nod of her head. "When Father found out he rushed me to this clinic before anyone could know. He didn't give me a choice Stefan. He took her from me. I wanted my child, I wanted my little girl, but he forbid it."

Again Stefan was still for a moment and then he moved from the chair he was in to his sister's side on the couch. "That's why Father suddenly insisted that I serve my military obligation. He didn't want me to have access to you." He took her hands in his. "Because I would have fought for you."

"You would have?" Alexis asked in shock.

"Of course I would have!" Stefan said with a little hurt. "You know I would have."

Alexis looked down. She stared at their hands, the way his covered hers protectively. "I was afraid…"

He titled her head up. "That I would think less of you?" Alexis nodded. "Yes, you were young, yes it would have been a struggle, but if anyone deserved to be loved Alexis it was you."

She looked into her brother's eyes a moment and then hugged him. "Thank you."

When they pulled apart Stefan asked, "I'm glad you felt you could confide in me, Alexis, but I have to ask why now?"

"Jax found her." Alexis answered. "Mikkos lied, Stefan, she did not go to a good home, she was not loved, and now she's out there somewhere alone." She began explaining it all to him and was about to get to the part about Port Charles when her cell phone rang. "I have to get this." She said before she answered it. "Jax?" She listened. "Oh my god. I'll be right there."

"What is it?" Stefan asked.

Alexis looked up at him. "They found the girl she was with. Bobbie and Luke Spencer have seen her. They're all at the police station."

Stefan stood and offered his hand to his beloved sister. "Lets go then."

Carly had refused to talk about Sam to anyone. Mac had men out looking for her. Luke had gone out to look for her. The kid was smart and knew about the real world, or knew as much as a ten year old could, but none of them wanted to see her out there for long all alone. Jax handed Bobbie a cup of coffee as they waited on Alexis.

"Thanks." She said with a soft smile. Then she looked towards the room where Carly was. "Its just all so surreal and strange. You think you're doing what's best for the one person you love with all your heart, the one you've loved so completely since the instant of knowing they exist, but then to find out that you failed them anyway."

"You didn't fail her, Bobbie." Jax comforted. "She had a good life."

"Until it wasn't anymore." Bobbie sighed.

Jax gave her a warm smile. "It will be again."

"Jax!" Alexis called out as soon as she saw him. She went to him and hugged him. "Is there any news?"

Jax shook his head and then explained. "Luke had been trailing Bobbie since we got back. He kind of figured that if he did he'd spot Caroline. He caught her slipping something into Bobbie's bag while Samantha played decoy."

"She was there?" Alexis asked breathlessly.

"She acted as if she'd hurt her ankle to distract me." Bobbie said as she stood. "When Luke grabbed Caroline, Caroline yelled for her to run and she took off."

"We're trying to get Caroline to tell us where Samantha is." Jax told the frightened woman. "I think you can help."

Alexis nodded. "Anything."

Jax smiled and took her hand. He led her into the room where Carly was being held. "Carly." Jax said as they came in. "You need to tell us where Sam's hiding."

"I don't care how hot you are I'm not saying a word." Carly replied.

"Please." Alexis begged the girl.

Carly looked the woman up and down before asking, "What the hell do you care lady?"

Alexis sat across from her. "She's my daughter."

Carly's eyes went huge. "What?"

"Samantha's my daughter." Alexis repeated.

"No." Carly said with a shake of her head. "No, that's to easy, that's to weird."

"What's to easy?" Alexis asked.

Carly was shaking her head. "No, you're trying to trick me."

"Trick you?" Alexis asked.

Carly narrowed her eyes at the woman. It had been itching at her, the statement Jax had made about Sam's mother, and now here sat a woman claiming to be that mother? It couldn't have worked out this way. Could it? "You're a cop or a lawyer or a social worker or something. You're just trying to trick me." Maybe it was working because Carly could almost see Sam in this woman. "You searched our room. You know she's a throw away kid like me. You found the papers. You know what I was trying to do."

Something clicked as Bobbie listened. She had been trying to figure out why Carly was trying to get money from her. She'd thought it was to live off of, to help her take care of Sam, but now, now she wondered if it was something more. "You wanted the money from me to help find Sam's mother."

Carly was feeling lightheaded.

"You've found her, Caroline." Alexis began.

"Carly." Carly snapped.

"Carly." Alexis repeated. "Call it serendipity, or fate, or a blessing, or whatever, but in tracking down your own mother, you've managed to find Samantha's. Please, Carly, please tell us where we can find her."

"I…I…" Carly stammered.

Bobbie came over and knelt beside the girl. "You love her, Carly, I know you do. You love that little girl like she was your very own sister. Use that love for her and look at Alexis. Trust your instincts."

Carly did just that. She took Alexis in and thought of Sam. It was the fear in the woman's eyes, it was the fickler of hope behind the fear, Carly had seen that look in Sam's eyes so many times. "She won't come out for you. You'll scare her and she'll run. She was raised by a con man, she can spot a cop faster then I can, she'll see a set up."

"You're not going alone." Jax said.

Carly looked at her mother. "You."

Bobbie nodded. "I'll go with you."

"Unacceptable." Stefan said from the door. "If this girl is my niece I won't let a Spencer…"

"Shut up Stefan!" Alexis shook her head and glared at her brother before she looked at the girl again. "Thank you."

The tears just wouldn't stop and it was starting to piss Sam off. She couldn't stop herself from being scared as she hid in the huge indoor boat dry-dock. She was hidden behind parts and crates with her bag clutched tight to her chest. When she heard the old door squeak open her trembling stopped because she was frozen in fear. She held her breath.

"Sammie?" Carly whispered into the huge space. "Sammie, its ok, come out."

Was it a trick? Was it really Carly?

"Popcorn, vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce is still a really gross sundae." Carly said, using the phrase that would let Sam know it was safe.

"Carly!" Sam squealed as she came out of hiding and ran to the girl. She threw her arms around the older girl as she cried. "I was so scared! I didn't think you were coming to get me! I thought you left me like Cody did!"

Carly hugged Sam tight. "I'd never do that Sammie."

When Sam was calmer she pulled away. That's when she saw Bobbie. She froze and grabbed Carly again even more tightly.

"Its ok, Sammie." Carly said as she held the girl to her. "It's going to be ok." She looked down into Sam's huge brown eyes. "There's this lady. I think… I think she's your mom, and I think, I think she really wants you."

Alexis was pacing the floor as they waited for Carly and Bobbie to return. Kristina had joined her and Stefan and was starting to feel a little dizzy as she watched her sister. "Alexis. Could you stop doing that?"

"Doing what?" Alexis asked as she looked over at her sister.

"You're wearing a groove in the floor." Kristina chuckled.

Alexis stopped pacing but started chewing her lip and biting her nail while she fidgeted with the glasses in her other hand.

Kristina had never seen her sister so wound up. It was actually kind of amusing to watch. She walked over and put her arm around her sister's shoulder to comfort her.

"I'm ok." Alexis said softly as she leaned into her sister's embrace. "I'm just freaking out and completely loosing my mind."

Kristina chuckled.

With that the tension build up weaken just in time for Stefan to blot to his feet as he gasped, "Oh my." He blinked. "She looks just like you when you were that age."

Alexis spun around. Standing on the other side of the room was a small girl with dark hair, dark eyes, her skin tone, her features. Alexis gasped and put her hand to her mouth. For the first time since the day she was born, Alexis was looking at her daughter.

Sam watched the woman across the room and backed up until she was pressed against Carly's body.

Carly put her hand on Sam's shoulder. "Her name is Alexis Davis." She explained to Sam. "She says she's your mom, half pint." When Sam looked up at her she added, "I believe her."

"You found her?" Sam asked in a whisper. "Just like you said you would."

"Kind of." Carly answered. "She was looking for you."

"She was?" Sam asked, her eyes wide with disbelief and wonder. Her real mom had been looking for her? Really?

Carly nodded.

Sam looked back at the woman across the room. Neither mother nor daughter knew what to do other then stand there and stare at each other. It was Kristina who pushed her sister gently, forcing her closer to the child. The push startled Alexis enough to say, "Hello Samantha."

Dark eyes stared at the woman before they rolled back and everything went dark.

Carly managed to catch the girl as Alexis rushed forward. "Samantha!"

Bobbie was at the girl's side as Carly lowered her to the floor. A few long moments passed as she examined the girl. "She's alright, she just fainted; someone get me a cool cloth please."

Kristina dashed off and got Bobbie the cloth which she used to wipe Sam's face as she called out to her gently. Several heart stopping moments later, for Alexis and Carly, Sam slowly started coming around. She was disoriented and confused as she came too. "What happened?"

"You fainted." Carly answered. "You scared the crap out of me, Sammie."

Sam titled her head up to look at Carly. "I'm sorry Carly."

"Its ok half pint." Carly smiled down at her.

Sam turned her head and saw Alexis right there beside her looking worried and a little frightened. "Hi."

Alexis let out a nervous laugh. "Hi."

Once everyone's hearts evened out and breathing had returned to normal Bobbie said, "We should get both girls to GH and have them looked at."

Alexis nodded. "Agreed."

"I've called Diane." Jax said. "We'll get the legal matters underway."

Everything was happening so fast Carly was starting to feel light headed again. "What's going on?"

"Its ok Carly." Bobbie said as she gave the girl a warm reassuring smile. "We just want to make sure you're both alright. You've been on your own for awhile and before that," She sighed and shook her head sadly. "You weren't being well taken care of."

Carly nodded. "Ok. But then what?"

"We'll work that out when we get there." Bobbie answered.

Alexis smiled down at the little girl who was still staring at her. "Hi."

"Hi." Sam said in return.

"Lets get you checked out, ok?" Alexis said as she offered the girl her hand to help her up.

Sam looked at Carly as if to ask what to do. When Carly nodded she let Alexis help her up. When she was on her feet Sam looked down at her hand which was held so gently in this unknown woman's and for a moment something just felt so right about it. Then she got scared and pulled her hand away gently. She looked up at Alexis, their dark eyes locking for a moment, and then went over to Carly.


	9. Chapter 9

When they got to the hospital Sam put up such a fuss about being away from Carly that there was no choice but to put her and Carly in the same cubical. She hadn't had much of any medical attention over the last ten years so the doctors, even though Doctor Quartermain was a nice man, scared her. It didn't help matters that Sam tried to bite the lab tech who came to draw blood. It took Carly and Alexis to hold the girl down so blood could be drawn and an IV placed in her arm. Sam was pretty pissed at Carly over it, so much so that when they put her in a hospital room by herself for the night she didn't say a word. She just laid there in the hospital bed with her arms crossed over her chest, as best as she could mange anyway with the IV, and pouted.

"Wow." Jax said with a chuckle as he watched Sam through the door window from behind Alexis. "She seriously looks just like you."

"I don't pout." Alexis huffed but the corner of her lip was curled a little.

Jax smirked as he put his arms around her. "Sure, ok, if you say so." Then he laughed. "You pouted for months after that whole Eddie's Angel thing."

Alexis groaned and gently elbowed the man behind her. Jax chuckled and then the two stood there for a moment before Alexis said, "This feels like a wonderfully sad dream and I'm terrified of waking from it."

"Its not a dream, Alexis." Jax said as he squeezed her gently and then he asked, "Wonderfully sad?"

"Wonderful because she's there, she's real, she's in my life again." Alex explained. "Sad because she's been through so much in her life and she's still just a baby."

"You couldn't have known, Alexis." Jax turned her around so they were face to face. "Mikkos really had meant for her to be placed in a good home. Neither you nor he could have foreseen what would happen to Sam."

Alexis shook her head. "I should have."

"How?" He asked her as he titled her chin up to look at him.

"Mother's intuition?" Alexis sighed. "Maybe I did know. All these years I've felt like something was hallow inside me, like something somewhere was out of sync, but now, now I feel, for the first time in my life, like I'm whole and everything around me is as it should be."

Jax rewarded her for that statement with a dazzling smile and a searing kiss. When they broke apart he said, "You should sit with her. I'm going to check in with my lawyer and grab you some coffee."

Alexis smiled at him and shook her head. "She isn't the only reason this feels like a dream. First you find my sister and now my daughter. Jasper Jacks you're to good to be true."

"Since the day we met you've been there for me." Jax said as he held her hands in his own. "You're my best friend, Alexis, I love you and I would do anything for you."

"I'll never be able to repay you for this, Jax." She told him as she caressed his face.

He smiled at her again. "You don't have to but if you want to then just do right by that little girl in there."

Alexis turned to look through the door window again. "I'm going to try."

Sam looked up when she heard the door open and when she saw Alexis come in she went tense. She could tell that they were both feeling awkward and nervous, maybe even a little scared. It was really hard to believe that this woman was her mother. Carly would never lie to her, so she believe that Carly believed she was, but the last few weeks had really shaken Sam's world right down to its foundations and it was going to take time for her sort it all out.

"Hi." Alexis said as she came in and sat beside the girl's bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Why do I have this thing in my arm?" Sam asked bluntly.

Alexis smiled softly. "The doctors said that you and Carly are a bit dehydrated and malnourished, so the IV is giving you some fluids and vitamins and stuff that will help build up what you've lost."

"Carly took good care of me." Sam said defensively.

"Oh, I know, I wasn't saying she hadn't been." Alexis jumped in. "The doctors think it actually started back at that place you were in, or maybe even before that. I know that Carly took really good care of you."

Sam eyed the woman carefully before asking, "Is Carly alright?"

Alexis nodded. "She's fine. She's just down the hall getting the same treatments you are."

"Good." Sam said as she started to slowly relax a little. "Is her real mom with her?"

"Bobbie?" Alexis asked and then nodded. "Yes, Bobbie's with her."

Sam relaxed even more. "Her momma died, she had a bad heart, and Carly really needs a momma to take care of her."

"Every little girl needs a mama to take care of them." Alexis said carefully as she studied every inch of the child.

"I did ok without one." Sam informed her and then regretted what she said a little when she saw the hurt in the woman's eyes. "Evelyn died when I was five. Danny set the house on fire but he didn't mean too. So I haven't had a mom in awhile, not that she really was a mom, she didn't like me much."

It was breaking her heart to hear that her child had gone unloved for so long. It also broke her heart to see the sadness in Sam's eyes when she spoke of the boy. Jax had told her everything. "My friend Jax…"

"The tall blonde man?" Sam asked. "Is he your boyfriend?"

"Yes, kinda, sorta, it's complicated." Alexis answered and then continued what she was saying. "He was the one who found you for me. He met Danny."

Sam's eyes went huge. "Is he ok? Is Danny ok?"

Alexis nodded. "Danny's in a special school with kind and caring people who know how to take care of very special boys like him."

Sam relaxed even more. "Good. Danny didn't like moving around so much. It was hard on him." Sam got really still for a moment and then dug up a little bit of bravery and asked, "Do you think I could maybe see him sometime?"

"I think that could be worked out." Alexis answered.

The girl sighed with relief. Ever since Cody left her behind she'd wondered and worried about her big brother. Cody wasn't the best at looking after Danny and she knew things would get sticky for them with her gone. Knowing that Carly and Danny were both ok gave the girl a sense of peace and security that gave her a little more bravery in asking, "What happens to me now? Do I go back to a group home?"

"No." Alexis said with a shake of her head. "No, Sam, you'll come home with me."

Sam frowned. "You don't know me."

"You're my daughter, Sam." Alexis told the girl. "I want to get to know you. I want to take care of you."

"You threw me away!" Sam said as the anger flashed. "You didn't want me!"

"I did want you!" Alexis replied as tears welled in her eyes. "I wanted you more then anything! Sam, I loved you the second I knew you existed, and I've never stopped."

Sam crossed her arms again. There were tears welling in her deep brown eyes. "Then why did you give me away?"

"I didn't, at least not willingly. You were taken from me." Alexis explained. "I was young, Sam, I was only sixteen, and my father made the choice to give you up for adoption. I didn't have a choice. We thought you were with a family who would love you, protect you, we didn't know it had all gone wrong."

Sam was feeling overwhelmed. She felt lightheaded again and closed her eyes. She opened them again when she felt the woman take her hand. This time she let her hold it a little while longer. When her door opened again she pulled it away.

"Alexis." Stefan said as he came into the room. "I wanted to see how Samantha was doing."

Sam looked the dark man up and down before asking Alexis. "Who's he?"

"My brother." Alexis said softly. "His name is Stefan." Then she looked up at her brother who'd come to stand beside her. "She's doing well thank you. A little dehydrated and malnourished but that's easily remedied."

As Alexis spoke Sam and Stefan sized each other up. Finally Stefan spoke as he put his hand on his sister's shoulder. "I'm glad she is well."

"Thank you." She said softly and then added, "They're keeping her overnight to monitor her. I'm going to stay with her."

Her focus was so completely on Sam she didn't notice when Stefan tugged on her hair.

"You are?" Sam asked in surprise.

"I am." Alexis replied with a nod and a warm smile.

Stefan nodded as he moved away a bit. "Let me know if either of you need anything."

"I will, thank you, Stefan." Alexis said as she beamed up at her brother.

The tall dark man bid them both goodnight and then left the room. Out in the hall he handed several strands of hair to a lab tech. "I want the DNA test done by morning."

"Yes Mr. Cassadine." The tech agreed.

Back in the room Sam said, "He's creepy."

Alexis laughed. "You'll get use to him."

Sam eyed the woman for a few seconds and then shook her head.

"What?" Alexis asked.

"You're ready to take me home just like that?" Sam said as she tried to fight off a yawn. "I'm a strange kid off the street and you're just going to take me home with you like a lost puppy."

"You're not a lost puppy or just some kid off the street, Sam." Alexis replied as she brushed at Sam's hair. "You're my daughter, my little girl, and I might not know you yet, but I will. I want to know everything about you, your likes, your dislikes, your moods, what makes you laugh, what makes you cry, what makes those beautiful eyes light up. I know it's hard to understand, Sam, but I do love you." She gave Sam a warm, loving smile, before leaning in and kissing her on the forehead. "Get some sleep sweetheart. I'll be here when you wake up. I'm never leaving you again, I promise."


	10. Chapter 10

The next morning when Stefan walked into the girl's room he found his sister asleep with her head resting on her folded arms on the side of the bed and Sam's hand in Alexis' hair. The sight made him smile. He quietly walked over to his sister and put his hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze as he whispered, "Alexis."

Alexis stirred. "Hmm?"

"Shh." He added. "Don't wake the little one."

It took several seconds but Alexis was finally awake enough to nod.

Stefan helped her to her feet and guided her outside into the hall. "I wouldn't have awoken you but I have news."

Alexis rubbed her sore neck as she asked, "News about what?"

"Samantha." Stefan answered.

Concern, worry and fear quickly filled Alexis' eyes. She was suddenly very awake and very aware. "Is she alright? Did something happen? Did the doctor's find something…"

"No." Stefan said quickly, cutting his sister off before she could get to far into one of her breathless rants. "No, she's fine." He pulled out a folded piece of paper from his jacket pocket and handed it to her sister. "I had your DNA and hers cross typed. Just to make sure."

Alexis blinked. "You ran a maternity test on me and Sam behind my back?"

"Yes." Stefan said evenly. "We needed to be absolutely sure."

"I was absolutely sure!" Alexis snapped at him. "I might have pushed the memories down to keep from hurting, but Stefan I have never forgotten looking into my newborn daughter's eyes, and yesterday when I saw Sam I knew without doubt that I was looking into those eyes again. I felt it Stefan! I felt it down deep in the core of me! That is my daughter laying in there!"

"And now you have the validation of those emotions." Stefan said calmly. "She is without a doubt your child. Now you have documented proof that will help you legally."

Alexis eyed her brother carefully before saying, "Thank you, Stefan." She gave him a soft tight smile before turning serious again. "But that wasn't your only reason for doing this."

"No, it wasn't." He admitted. "She is a Cassadine. That entitles her to certain things."

Alexis shook her head. "She doesn't need any of those entitlements if that means bringing her to Helena's attention."

"I will keep her safe." Stefan promised.

Alexis wanted to argue more about just how much of a role being a Cassadine would play in Sam's life when the girl cried out. She rushed back into the room. "Hey there sweetheart. It's all right. I'm right here."

There were tears rolling down Sam's cheeks. When she'd woken up alone she thought it had been a dream. She thought she was alone again without anyone. It scared her so badly that she threw her arms around Alexis when she came over to her.

"Shh baby." Alexis held the girl and rubbed her back. "Its ok. I'm here. I'm right here."

Sam sniffled. "I thought you were a dream; but you're real."

"Yes baby I'm real." Alexis said softly as she held Sam in her arms.

Sam hugged the woman for several minutes before finally loosening her grip on her and opening her eyes. Seeing Stefan in the doorway she said, "You're creepy brother is staring at us."

Alexis chuckled as she let the girl go and helped her settle back into her pillow. "Stefan stop staring. It's rude."

Stefan raised an eyebrow, which got a giggle from Sam, which made him smile.

"Is this a private party or can any Cassadine join?" Kristina said from slightly behind her brother. "I come baring breakfast from Kelly's."

That caused Sam's eyes to light up. "I love Kelly's!" Then she looked at Alexis. "Who's she? And what's a Cassadine?"

"She is my sister." Alexis answered. "Kristina. And don't worry about the Cassadine thing. I'll explain later."

Kristina beamed as she came into room and started setting up breakfast. "Hi squirt. Nice to meet you!"

Sam looked at Kristina, Stefan, and Alexis for several moments before saying, "She's your sister?"

Alexis laughed as she accepted coffee from her sister. "Kristina looks like our mother. I look more like our father."

"And I look like you." Sam added in.

That got a dazing smiling from Alexis. "You noticed?"

"How could she not?" Kristina said as she sat on the edge of the girl's bed. "She's gorgeous, you're gorgeous. You both have those huge brown doe eyes."

Sam blushed a little. No one had ever called her gorgeous or beautiful or anything. Alexis and Kristina were both so beautiful. She kind of liked the idea of maybe being beautiful too.

Kristina smiled brightly at the slight blush. She reached out and caressed her new niece's cheek.

From the hallway Carly watched. Everyone had been reassuring her that this Alexis Davis woman was Sam's mother, Bobbie had even shown her the results from a test that was done, but Carly was still feeling leery. She'd spent over a year looking out for Sam and it was hard to just step away, even though this is what she wanted for the girl.

"You should be in your room, Carly." Bobbie said gently. "Breakfast is on its way."

"I wanted to check on Sam." Carly replied. As soon as they let her out of this place she was going to say goodbye to Sam and move on. She just wanted to make sure Sam was settled first. "Is she a good person?"

"Alexis?" Bobbie asked and then nodded. "She is. My nephew and her nephew are brothers and she's wonderful with them. She's going to be good to Sam."

Carly nodded. "Good. She's a good kid and should be in a good home. She should get to be a kid."

Bobbie put her hand on Carly's shoulder. "You should get those same chances, Carly."

The girl shrugged away from Bobbie's touch. "I'm not a kid. I'm fifteen. Besides, I had that chance, I got to be a kid, so don't worry about it."

"Carly." Bobbie began but didn't get a chance to say anything else because Carly walked away.

Bobbie sighed but followed her back to her room. Once Carly was settled back into the bed she said, "Fifteen isn't grown, Carly. I'm glad you had a good life with your adoptive parents and I'm so sorry you lost them. All I ever wanted for you was a good life with lots of love and all the things I couldn't give you."

"Is that why you handed me off like a puppy?" Carly asked. "Because you couldn't give me what? Material things? Or the love part?"

"I loved you, Carly." Bobbie told the girl firmly. "The moment they placed you in my arms I knew I would love you forever." She continued. "But I had nothing back then. I was fifteen with one foot in the street and no idea where my next real meal was coming from." Bobbie really didn't want to tell Carly the truth about her past so she was working around the finer points. "If I hadn't given you up for adoption the state would have taken you from me in time. I wanted to make sure you had a home, a real home with real parents who loved you, not lost in the system."

Carly snorted. "I ended up in foster care anyway."

"Yes." Bobbie said sadly. "You did, but after you had twelve years of a loving home. Everything happens for a reason Carly. You landed in a group home, you befriended a little girl who needed you, she gave you a reason to act and now here you both are. You need a home, someone who cares about you, just as much as Sam. It's a second chance, Carly."

"What are you saying?" Carly asked the woman skeptically.

"When you're released you're coming home with me." Bobbie said.

Carly looked at Bobbie as if she had grown a purple head between her eyes. "Why would I do that?"

"Because you're fifteen and you need a place to stay and someone to look after you." Bobbie answered and then added, "And because I'm your mother and I can give you now what I couldn't then."

Carly shook her head. "You gave up the right to be my mother."

Bobbie sighed. "I'd like to earn that right back."

Down the hall Sam was feeling overwhelmed and crowded. Alexis noticed the girl's discomfort and politely asked everyone to leave. Once it was just the two of them in the room Sam felt like she could breath again. "Thanks."

Alexis smiled at the girl. "You're welcome."

"Are they always around?" Sam asked.

"No." Alexis chuckled. "Kristina lives with me but Stefan lives on Spoon Island."

Sam's eyes got huge and bright. "He lives in the castle in the middle of the lake?"

Alexis chuckled and nodded. "With our nephew Nikolas. He's twelve. You'll meet him when you're a little more settled in."

Sam let out a slow sigh.

"It's all a little much, isn't it?" Alexis asked as she brushed hair from Sam's face.

"Yeah." Sam agreed. She looked at Alexis when swept at her hair. She didn't really understand why the woman kept touching her, and for the oddest reason she found that she didn't mind it so much. Normally Sam wasn't the touchy kind of kid, but then again the only people who had ever hugged her or touched her in a caring way were Carly and Danny. "It's weird."

"I know." Alexis smiled. "It still feels like a dream to me too."

Sam studied the woman for a few moments before telling her, "I didn't even know I was adopted until Carly told me. She found my records when she was looking for her own. Everything I thought was real isn't anymore."

"I know this is going to be a huge adjustment." Alexis told the girl as she sat beside her. "We're both going to need time to get use to this, but we will." Alexis saw the look Sam was giving her and smiled softly. "Its alright if you don't believe me. I know I'm going to have to prove to you that you can trust me."

Sam simply nodded. She was quite for a moment before saying, "I want to see Carly."

Alexis nodded. "I'll go see if she can came down to see you." She gave the girl a warm smile and then stepped out of the room. She found Bobbie at the nurses' desk. "Hi Bobbie."

Bobbie smiled warmly at the younger woman. "Hi Alexis. How's Sam?"

"Confused." Alexis replied with a soft sigh. "This is all a little much for me so I know it's got to be hard on her."

"I know the feeling." Bobbie said as she came down to stand in front of Alexis. "But she's young, she's a clean slate." Bobbie sighed. "Carly's a different story. She's angry and hurt and a teenager on top of it."

Alexis smiled softly. "Yeah, I think you've got some extra hurtles there. I mean it's been an adjustment with Kristina, but Carly's been through so much more, I can only imagine what it will be like for her."

Bobbie nodded in agreement. "It's strange but I find myself wanting nothing more then to be a mother to her even though she's only been back in my life for a few hours."

"It's all I ever wanted." Alexis admitted. "A chance to raise my child. I still can't believe it's happening." The two women were lost in their own thoughts for a moment before Alexis said, "Sam would like to see Carly."

"That's a good idea." Bobbie agreed. "They have a bound we can't ignore."

Alexis nodded. "I owe your daughter so much Bobbie."

"I'm glad Carly had Sam as well." Bobbie said as they walked down the hall together. "There's something about living that kind of life, you just need someone you know has your back and you have theirs. Children are suppose to feel safe, they're suppose to know they can relay on the adults to protect them, care for them, give them what they need no matter how basic. Kids like Carly and Sam they get that from each other. Having that kind of bound is how Luke and I survived."

"I completely understand." Alexis said with a nod. "Stefan and I were the same way."

When they reached Carly's room Bobbie knocked as she stepped in. She smiled at the girl as she said, "Sam would like to see you."

"I want to see her too." Carly replied as she got out of the hospital bed. While she was alone she'd changed into a pair of sweats that had been left for her. She had really thought about slipping out while she left alone but then changed her mind. She needed to talk to Sam and then she'd make up her mind on what to do next.

When her door opened and Carly walked in Sam's face lit up. She hugged Carly tightly when she came over to her bed.

"We'll be in the hall." Alexis told the girls and then closed the door behind her.

"Are you ok half pint?" Carly asked when they were alone.

Sam nodded. She didn't want to tell Carly she was scared. "Alexis says I'm going home with her."

Carly nodded. "She's your mom, Sam. I know she's a stranger right now but she is."

"I know." Sam said. "The creepy man ran a test."

"Creepy man?" Carly asked with concern.

"Her brother." Sam explained. "I guess that makes him my uncle. He's all grumpy looking and wears dark clothes. I don't get a bad vibe from him or anything he's just creepy."

Carly relaxed a little. Sam had fairly good sense when it came to people. If she didn't feel the man was a danger he probably wasn't. Then again, she was just a kid so what did she know? Maybe she needed to stick around for a while to keep an eye on things. Yes, that made sense, she'd stick around and put up with whatever she had to so she could keep an eye on Sam. "What about her? Does she seem ok?"

Sam shrugged. "She's a little uptight, but I guess she's ok." Sam paused a moment and then asked, "Carly, what if this doesn't work out?"

"It will." Carly tried to reassure.

"But what if it doesn't?" Sam asked. "What if she decides to give me away again? She did it once, she could do it again."

"That won't happen." Carly insisted. "But if it does we'll take off. We'll go someplace else and do it on our own."

"Promise?" Sam asked with tears welling in her eyes. She was trying so hard not to show her fear and uncertainty but she couldn't stop the welling tears.

"Promise." Carly replied. "But you need to make me a promise too."

"What?" Sam said as she brushed her eyes with the back of her hand.

"That you'll give this a chance." Carly said. "That you'll give her a chance."

Sam looked at her friend a moment before asking, "Are you going to give Bobbie a chance?"

Carly sighed. "Sammie."

"You have to try." Sam told the older girl. "Please. I promise to give Alexis a chance if you promise to give Bobbie one."

"It's not the same, Sammie." Carly said with a frustrated sigh.

Sam narrowed her eyes and pointed a finger at her friend. "If you say it's different because you're older I'm going to hit you."

Carly raised an eyebrow at the girl.

"The only real difference is that you've had longer to get all angry and hurt." Sam told her friend. "Get over it."

Carly just shook her head. "It isn't that easy."

"Neither was getting here but here we are." Sam replied.

The girls sat there glaring at each other for several long minutes before Carly finally gave in. "Alright fine I promise."

Sam beamed in triumph. "I promise too."


	11. Chapter 11

After Dr. Quartermain came in to see Sam and said she would be going home that evening Alexis had stepped out of the room to speak with Kristina and make some calls. This gave Sam a chance to do something that needed to be done before she and Carly were separated. She walked down the hall looking for Carly's mom and when she found her she walked over to the woman and said, "I need to talk to you about Carly."

Bobbie was a little surprised to see Sam and even more surprised at the firm tone she'd used. "Alright." She said with a warm smile as she led the girl to a group of couches in the corner of in the room. "What's on your mind?"

"There's some stuff you need to know about Carly if you're gonna be in her life." Sam said firmly as she looked the woman in the eye. "First, she eats like crap. She'll eat frozen pizza morning noon and night if you let her. Second, she's totally stubborn! Third, she won't admit it but cars kind of freak her out, I don't know why, but she's always kind of nervous in them." Sam paused. "With me so far?"

Bobbie nodded seriously despite her desire to smile at the girl. She knew Sam was being very serious with her and she loved how furiously protective the little girl was about Carly. "Got it. Go ahead."

Sam nodded and then said, "Most importantly she's really strong but she hurts really deeply and when she's hurt she hurts back. When she's scared she reacts before she thinks. She feels everything really deeply, and sometimes that makes her overreact. She can be really loyal if she loves you and trusts you but she can be a really big bitch if you cross her. She acts tough and she is, but she isn't. Get it?"

"I understand, better then you might think." Bobbie told the girl. "Sam, I'm really glad she has someone who cares about her so much. Thank you."

"Carly wants me to have a mom and be happy." Sam said as she stood. "I want the same thing for her." Then she narrowed her eyes and glared at the woman. "I love Carly. Don't hurt her again."

"I never meant to hurt her in the first place." Bobbie reassured the girl. "And I promise you Sam. I'm going to do everything in my power to make it up to her."

Sam believed the woman so she nodded. "Good, because if you do you'll answer to me. Got it?"

The smile was a little harder to hold back this time. "Got it."

Alexis had sent Kristina to pick up some things for Sam so they could get ready to take her home. The teen had come back with jeans, a t-shirt, a hoodie and clean underwear. Sam had been surprised that they had gotten her brand new things, she was use to second hand stuff, and she really liked what she had been brought. Alexis and Kristina promised to take her shopping for more new clothes and other stuff she'd need as soon as she felt up to it. Carly, who had been released into Bobbie's care shortly after Sam's talk with Bobbie, had gone to Jake's and retrieved all their stuff. Sam felt better now that she had her own things; especially the bean plush turtle Carly had given her. She was sitting on the hospital bed with Alexis waiting for her release papers when she noticed two women and Alexis' friend Jax outside her door. Sam went ridged and wide -eyed.

"Sam?" Alexis asked when she noticed the change in the girl. They'd been talking about Sam's love of stars and turtles when the girl froze up.

"Social worker." Sam whispered, her voice trembling with fear. "She's here to take me away."

Alexis stood and turned to look at what Sam was looking at. "No one is taking you anywhere Sam. You're coming home with me. She's probably just here with paperwork. Do you see the woman with Jax? She's a lawyer and she's going to make sure you come home where you belong." She rubbed Sam's back to calm her and kissed the top of her head. "I'll go talk to them. Krissy will stay here with you ok?"

Sam just nodded slowly as if any sudden movement would bring the social worker's attention to her.

"Ms. Davis never actually sighed a parental rights weaver." Diane was saying when Alexis joined them. "Her father made all the arguments against her wishes. The motion is already in family court to reinstate her as Samantha's legal parent."

"She has legal guardianship of her sister." Jax added. "So any concerns about her home or ability to care for Sam have already been gone over with a fine tooth comb."

"Is there a problem?" Alexis asked.

The older woman looked at Alexis carefully. "I just have a few questions for you Ms. Davis."

Alexis gave the woman her best professional smile. "Of course. There's a conference room down the hall we can use."

Jax and Diane hovered as Alexis spoke with the social worker. There was a bit of concern about Alexis being so young and about the fact that her career had been such a huge part of her life. Alexis put the woman's concerns at ease. "Yes, I have been career oriented but because of that I am in a position now to pull back and shift that attention to my daughter. The choice to give her up was never my own, and yes that does sound selfish, I was sixteen and I wanted to raise my child even though I knew it would be a struggle. My father made the choice because he felt it would be best for both of us. As it turns out it allowed me to become who and what I am now, but it didn't work out so well for Samantha. I truly believe that Sam has come back into my life just when she was meant too. I can give her the life I couldn't then. I can give her what she hasn't been given since. Someone who loves her and will care for her and protect her and give her a family, that's more then the system ever did for her."

Alexis and the social worker talked for twenty minutes about Alexis' home and Sam's schooling and counseling. When they finally rejoined Jax and Diane Alexis was grinning ear to ear. "Lets take my little girl home."

Sam was nervous and uneasy the whole ride from the hospital. She had a death grip on her turtle as she rode up in the elevator in Alexis' building. The building was for people with money and that just made her discomfort worse. And yet she couldn't help feel a little bit of awe as the elevator kept going higher and higher. Her mother must have been something special to live in a place like this. When they stepped of the elevator Sam looked left and right at the doors and wondered which was Alexis' penthouse. She spotted a man in a dark suit standing outside one of the doors and even though she was curious she was hoping that wasn't it. She didn't like the vibes coming from the man or what could be behind the door. Sam sighed in relief when Alexis guided her to the door marked PH2.

"Who's that across the hall?" Sam asked as Alexis opened the door.

"That's Jonny." Alexis explained as Sam looked over her shoulder. She gently pushed the little girl inside. "Don't worry about him."

"Why is he standing out there?" Sam asked.

Alexis groaned inwardly. She didn't want to explain Sonny Corinthos and his life to her daughter. "That's his job."

Sam looked up at her mother with an odd look. "He gets paid to stand outside in the hall like that?"

"Yes." Alexis said and then quickly tried to distract the girl. "So what do you think?" She motioned around the room as she locked the door behind them.

Sam stepped further into the penthouse and looked around. "Wow, this is where you live?"

Alexis nodded with a warm bright smile that lit up her big brown eyes. Her daughter, her little girl, her very own baby was standing in the middle of her home. The feeling inside was just so amazing.

"You must be loaded." Sam said as she took a few more tentative steps inside.

"Well, no, I wouldn't say loaded." Alexis said with an uneasy chuckle. "Lets just say we're very comfortable."

Sam snorted. "I know loaded when I see it."

Again Alexis found herself shifting the subject. "You'll be upstairs with Kristina. I'm afraid you'll have to share a bed and a room for now, until I can…"

Kristina smiled. "Jax and I took care of the room."

"You did?" Alexis asked.

Kristina nodded. "We switched out the huge bed in my room for two smaller ones." She then looked at the girl and smiled. "You'll still have to share a room with me though."

Sam shrugged. "I've never had my own room so it's ok."

"Come on." Kristina said brightly as she held out her hand to the girl. "I'll show you around."

Alexis watched as her sister and her daughter, just thinking it made her smile, went upstairs to check out their newly shared bedroom. Alexis moved over to the couch and sank into it. She put her hands over her face as she let out a long slow breath. She needed the moment alone to let everything catch up to her. Giving birth to Sam had made her a mother but having Sam back in her life had sudden turned her into a Mother. What did she know about being a Mother? It wasn't something she could learn about from her books so it seemed she had no choice but to jump in headfirst.

The sound of feet on the stairs made Alexis look up and she smiled as she watched Kristina lead Sam to the kitchen and then laughed out loud at the girl's exclamation, "So much popcorn! Awesome!" She was still chuckling when she heard someone trying to open her door. She frowned a little as she stood to see what was going on. She, Kristina and Sam were just meeting near the stairs as the door swung open. Alexis watched as Jax walked in with a stuffed turtle that was as large as Sam herself. "Jax?"

Big brown eyes went huge, and her jaw dropped, as Sam watched the man carry in the biggest stuffed anything she'd ever seen.

Jax beamed at the girl. "What do you think?"

"That's for me?" Sam asked in utter shock.

"Yeap." Jax said with his most charming smile. "It's a welcome home gift. You're Mom mentioned that you liked turtles."

Both Sam and Alexis went a little stiff when Jax said "your mom" so easily. They glanced at each other and then back at Jax. Sam took a careful step forward but stopped. She wasn't really sure what to do.

Kristina smiled and gave her niece a tiny little shove. "Well go get it."

Sam looked up at the older girl and then ran to Jax to take the turtle. The weight of it nearly knocked her over and Jax had to catch her to steady her. "Um, thank you?"

Jax smiled at the girl. "You're very welcome, Sam, I'm really glad you're here."

Alexis watched with a bright smile as Sam dragged and pulled her new turtle friend up the stairs. Walking over to Jax she gave him a searing kiss before hugging him. "Where on earth did you find that?"

"I have many many resources." Jax laughed. He kissed her softly and then led her over to the couch. "You ok? Everything alright so far?"

"She's only been here for twenty minutes." Alexis chuckled. "Though she did ask about Jonny."

"What did you tell her?" Jax asked. He wasn't really the biggest fan of Alexis living across from Sonny, or her being his lawyer, but he'd learned to pick and choose his battles since she started working for him.

"He was paid to stand in the hall." Alexis replied. "Then I changed the subject."

"And when she starts to ask again?" Jax asked.

Alexis shrugged. "I'll figure it out when she does." She let out a slow breath and leaned into her best friend. He wrapped his arms around her and she closed her eyes to soak him in. "There's so much to figure out."

"One thing at a time." Jax said as he held her. "Start with the little things like feeding her. What are you doing for dinner tonight?"

"I thought we'd order in." Alexis answered. "I want her to start feeling comfortable with us and here in the penthouse before we start introducing her to the rest of Port Charles."

Jax nodded. "No sense in overwhelming her more then she is already. People are going to start asking questions as the news gets around."

Alexis nodded and then smiled shyly. "I'm kind of looking forward to telling people she's mine."

Sam was standing on the stairs listening. "You want people to know I'm your daughter?"

At the sound of Sam's voice Alexis got to her feet and looked over at her. "Of course I do sweetheart."

Sam frowned. Cody never wanted people to know she was his daughter, but then again she wasn't his daughter after all so Sam guessed it didn't matter now. "I'm nothing special and they're going to ask questions about where I came from."

"Yes," Alexis said as she moved closer. "There will be lots of questions, and that's ok. But Sam, you are something special, something very special, and having you back in my life is something wonderful."

"You're going to be embarrassed by me." Sam stated as if that were pure and simple fact.

Alexis shook her head. "I won't."

"You'll have to tell everyone your dirty little secret." Sam stated just as firmly.

Alexis moved closer. "You're not, Sam, the only reason I never told anyone about you was because it hurt to much. I didn't care that my father wanted you to be a secret, that's not why I did it. I did it, as selfish as it was, to protect myself from the pain."

"I hurt you?" Sam said with a deep frown.

For the first time Alexis saw her father in Sam. Mikkos always had this deep sadness about him and when he frowned it looked a lot like Sam did at the moment. She never wanted Sam to look that way again. "Loosing you hurt me. Knowing that you didn't get the life I was promised you'd have hurt me. But you have never hurt me."

Sam sat on the step and thought about everything for a moment. She and Alexis had spoken a couple of times on why Alexis did what she did. Every time the woman had blamed her father. Looking up she said, "You could have fought for me."

Alexis sat beside the girl as she replied, "I did, I tried Sam, I swear it, but there was no fighting my father, and he did have a good point. Back then I couldn't have protected you or taken care of you the way I can now."

"Is he going to be angry that I'm back?" Sam asked with a flicker of fear in her eyes. If he could make Alexis, who seemed like such a strong woman, give her away once then maybe he could do it again.

"He died a long time ago." Alexis answered. "Not long after you were born in fact. Its why I almost looked for you when you were a baby."

Sam frowned again. "Almost?"

"I thought you were in a good home, Sam." Alexis told her. "I had no idea you were with those people. If I had known no one would have stopped me from finding you."

Sam looked Alexis over carefully. She believed her and that scared Sam. She'd known this woman for such a short time and she was already starting to trust her. Jumping to her feet Sam ran back up the stairs. She needed some space to think.

"Sam!" Alexis jumped up as well.

"She'll be ok." Jax said as he came over to where Alexis was. "She just needs time to sort this all out, just like you."

Alexis sighed and nodded. She knew she and her daughter had a long road ahead of them and she knew it wouldn't always be a smooth one.

Across town at the brownstone Carly was standing in Bobbie's living room looking at the pictures she had sitting around. A whole life that she wasn't part of. But then again Carly had had a whole life that Bobbie hadn't been apart off. Carly sighed as she looked around the room again. She was feeling boxed in and needed some air. She was just about to slip out the back door when Bobbie came in.

"Going somewhere?" Bobbie asked as she watched Carly closely.

Carly turned to see Bobbie standing there with a baby in her arms. That just made her more uncomfortable. When they'd first gotten back from the hospital Bobbie had introduced her to BJ, a sweet little toddler who kept trying to feed her gummy snacks, and little baby Lucas. She had wanted to ask Bobbie why, why them and not her, but she didn't have the nerve. "I need some air." Carly finally answered as she headed towards the back door.

"I'd rather you stayed." Bobbie said honestly as she set Lucas in his play crib. "Dinner will be ready soon."

"Not hungry." Carly replied.

Bobbie looked up at her. "I was hoping we could talk."

"I'd rather not." Carly called back before walking out the door.

"Carly!" Bobbie called after her. She went after the girl but by the time she got to the door Carly was gone.

Carly ran down the street until she was around the corner. She figured Bobbie wouldn't follow since she was home alone with her babies. Shoving her hands into her pockets Carly took off down the street, getting lost in her thoughts and the unfamiliar surroundings. As she walked she wondered where Sam was and how she was doing. She hoped the little girl wasn't to scared because Alexis wouldn't know it if she were. Sam was really good at hiding her emotions. She hoped Alexis caught on to that. She was so lost in thought she didn't notice bumping into someone until he was catching her to keep her from falling.

"Oh!" Carly yelped. "I'm sorry!"

The boy, almost man, smiled at her. "No worries. Are you alright?"

"Fine, thanks." Carly replied as she looked up at him. He was kind of cute, nowhere near as cute as the Aussie, but cute enough.

He smiled at her. "You must be new in town. I don't think I've ever seen you around before."

"It's a fairly good sized city." Carly huffed. "You can't know everyone."

His smile never faltered. "I make a point of knowing all the cute girls."

That made Carly groan but before she could reply she heard someone call out her name.

"Carly." Bobbie said firmly as she walked up to her daughter. She looked at the young man she was with and smiled. "Hello AJ."

AJ Quartermains smiled back. "Hi Bobbie!" He hugged her and then asked. "You two know each other?"

Carly wanted to take a shot at Bobbie so she said, "She's my mother. Bet you didn't know she had a teenage daughter from a teenage pregnancy did ya?"

"Um, no, I didn't but hey that's cool." AJ said with a smile. "My Mom has a daughter from a teenage pregnancy of her own." He paused a moment and added, "Bobbie's pretty awesome. She and my mom are best friends."

Bobbie knew what Carly had tried to do and saw the little flick of anger over the fact that it didn't get the kind of reaction she'd wanted. "Carly, we need to get back home." She smiled at AJ. "It was good seeing you AJ. Let Monica know I'll be over for lunch sometime this week. Clearly we have a lot to talk about."

"Sure." AJ replied. "Just let her know when so she can let Cook know. You know how Cook is about unexpected plans." He then looked at Carly. "It was nice meeting you Carly."

Bobbie took a firm hold on Carly's upper arm and started heading back towards where she'd left her car. "Carly, you can't walk away every time I want to talk to you. And that little intro was uncalled for."

"I told you I needed some air." Carly huffed. "And all I said was the truth."

"Well you've had some and now you're coming home with me, you're having dinner, and we're going to talk." Bobbie said firmly.

Carly was going to argue but the look Bobbie gave her warned her not to so she didn't. When they got back to the brownstone she had dinner with Bobbie and Tony and BJ. She even cracked a smile once or twice at BJ. After dinner she and Bobbie did talk, but Bobbie didn't try to push anything on her, they just talked about what Carly liked and disliked. There was no pressure to take it further and by the end of the night Carly hadn't minded it so much.


	12. Chapter 12

Alexis couldn't sleep. Her mind simply wouldn't shut off so she found herself standing in the doorway of the bedroom that Kristina and Sam were now sharing. She watched Sam sleeping in her new bed, she was clutching her bean plush turtle and using the one Jax bought her as a pillow. Her little chest rose and fell in the slow rhythmic way that said she was deeply asleep. It felt so surreal to be standing there watching her daughter sleeping knowing that the girl was back in her life after so long. She'd never thought she'd get to put her baby to bed, to help her get ready and then tuck her in for the night. Alexis smiled as she wiped a tear from her cheek. Deciding she should leave the girls to sleep before she accidently woke one of them Alexis went back to her own room.

In the back of her closet Alexis had a box tucked away that she kept her most precious of secrets. Reaching into the box she pulled out a hand-bound leather journal and carried it over to the small writing desk near her window. She had several of these beautiful leather bound books, the first had been a gift from Stefan the Christmas before she got pregnant, the first entry had been made the day she found out she was pregnant. She wrote in that first book and the one after it quiet a lot because she was writing to her unborn child and then to her newborn daughter. Over the years the entries because fewer but Alexis never let certain dates pass without an entry. She had always hoped that she would be able to give them to her daughter someday. When she'd been pregnant she'd dreamed of giving them to her on her eighteenth or twenty-first birthday, or maybe the day she graduated college, or her wedding day, or maybe the day her first child was born; after giving her up she hoped they would find each other again and she would be able to give them to her as a way of allowing her to know her mother; but now it wasn't just a dream or hope, she really would be able to share her thoughts and emotions with her daughter.

Picking up her pen she wrote the date and for the first time wrote, My darling Samantha; rather then My darling Kristin, today the miracle of your birth was slightly overshadowed by the miracle of your return to my life. Alexis spent an hour writing to Sam about the way she felt about finding her and having her back in her life and about her hopes and dreams for their new future together. When she was finished she put the journal back in it's place and then finally went to bed.

The smell of food woke Alexis up the next morning and it made her smile. After slipping on her robe and slippers she padded down the hall, stopping at the girls' door to see if they were awake, they must have been because the room was empty. When she came down the stairs she spotted Sam standing on the desk chair, which was pushed up against the door, looking out the peephole. "Um, Sam, sweetie, what are you doing?"

"Watching the man across the hall." Sam said without looking away. "Why does he need bodyguards? Is he someone important?"

"He thinks he is." Kristina said from the couch.

Alexis glared at her sister before walking over and picking Sam up off the chair. She was startled for a moment at how light the child was, sure she was small for her age but she should have weight more shouldn't she? "Sam, spying on people isn't polite."

Sam's eyes had gone wide when Alexis picked her up. Every muscle in her body tightened and after Alexis set her on her feet and scolded her she was expecting to be hit. When the hit didn't come she looked up at Alexis oddly.

"Sam?" Alexis asked softly as she took notice of the girl's reaction. The way she cringed, the way she braced herself. When it dawned on her what was happening Alexis knelt down to Sam's level and asked, "Did you think I was going to hit you?"

"Weren't you?" Sam asked.

Alexis shook her head. "No, Sam, I would never ever hit you like that. I would never be violent with you." She reached out carefully and caressed Sam's cheek. "You don't ever have to flinch away from me baby."

Sam looked into Alexis' matching brown eyes and after several seconds she nodded. She was quiet for a moment and then asked, "So who's the guy across the hall?"

"A client." Alexis said as she relaxed and stood up.

"What kind of client?" Sam asked as she followed Alexis over to the couch.

"A legal client." Alexis answered.

"Why does he need a lawyer?" Came the next question.

Alexis looked at the girl and smirked. "How did you sleep last night?"

"Kristina snores." Sam answered as she glared at Alexis. She didn't like that the woman deflected her question.

"I do not!" Kristina protested.

Sam looked over at the older girl and nodded. "Yes you do."

"No I don't." Kristina argued.

"Yeah, you kinda do." Alexis added in with a chuckle.

"What are we arguing about?" Jax asked as he carried a huge tray of food to the dinning table.

"Kristina snoring." Sam said as she looked at the food from her kneeling potion on the couch. There was a platter piled high with eggs and bacon, and a bowl of fruit.

Alexis noticed Sam and held in her sigh. So many things broke her heart when it came to Sam, knowing that she'd gone hungry for even a moment was just one. "Come on lets eat." She went over and picked the girl up again and set her on her feet. Something was telling her the more she touched Sam the more the girl would realize her touch wasn't something to be feared. As she, Sam, and Kristina went to the table Jax went back into the kitchen and brought out another tray.

"I hope you like scrambled eggs and bacon, Sam." Jax said as Alexis made a plate for the little girl.

"You didn't have to come over and cook." Alexis teased as she put the plate in front of Sam. "Is that good sweetie?" When Sam nodded she gave the girl a smile.

"Sure I did." Jax teased back. "Sam needs good nutritious food not popcorn and pop tarts." He was grinning as he put a glass full of his famous protein shake in front of Sam. "I was actually thinking of hiring someone for you, a nanny with cooking skills."

Sam blinked at the glass Jax set in front of her. "What is that?"

"It's a shake." Jax answered. "It's good, try it."

"I hadn't even thought of a nanny." Alexis frowned as she sat with her own plate. "But I guess I'll need someone around when I'm at work."

Questioning brown eyes looked between Jax and Alexis before settling back on the glass. Sam wasn't even paying attention to the nanny conversation; she was more concerned with the stuff in the glass. "What kind of shake?"

"Like a milkshake." Jax said still grinning. "Only it's good for you."

Alexis was hiding a smirk and a giggle behind her hand as she watched Sam carefully stick her finger into the goop Jax had tried and failed to get her to drink. She had to hold her breath to keep the giggles at bay when Sam sniffed it before tentatively tasting what was on her finger. She had tears in her eyes when she finally managed to say, "Just try a sip Sam."

Sam looked between everyone now. She noticed that Jax and Kristina were both drinking the stuff so she figured she'd try. She picked the glass up as if it were toxic and took a sip. A long moment past, the look on her face was unreadable. Finally she shrugged, "That's no bad."

"Really?" Alexis asked in shock. She was sure the ten year old would hate it. Reaching over she took the glass when Sam set it down and took a sip herself. "Hey! This isn't the stuff you tried to get me to drink."

Jax was smirking. "That's more kid friendly. She needs the extra nutrition."

Alexis huffed and then laughed. The four of them started eating and Alexis kept a close eye on Sam. She wanted to make sure that she ate well, but there was also a part of her that was afraid that if she looked away Sam would disappear.

"What is that on your toast?" Sam asked Jax.

"Vegemite." Jax answered. "It's an Australian thing."

"Can I try?" The little girl asked.

Jax beamed. "Sure!"

Alexis watched in amazement as the girl who was so leery of the protein drink willingly tried the rather nasty spread on a bit of Jax's toast. She was even more surprised when Sam liked it. "You like it?"

Sam nodded. "Its good. It's kind of salty, I like that."

"I'll make sure my Mum sends me an extra jar just for you." Jax said, still beaming. He grinned at Alexis who just shook her head and chuckled. Then he asked, "So what do you lovely ladies have planned today?"

Alexis liked that Sam seemed so willing to try new things, even if she herself weren't that open minded. She was smiling as she looked at Jax and said, "Sam has an appointment with Gail Baldwin. After that I thought we'd just play it by ear."

"Well," Jax offered. "How about a day out on the boat?"

Sam's eyes lit up as she stopped with her fork half way to her mouth. "You have a boat?"

Jax nodded and smiled. "I do."

"Oh!" Sam squeaked. "I wanna go on a boat!"

Alexis smiled at the way Sam's whole face lit up. She didn't really like going out with Jax on his boat because she didn't care much for the water, but she couldn't say no to that look. "Well, I guess we can go out on the boat for a little while."

"Oh that means shopping!" Kristina piped in. "You'll need a swimsuit and some new shorts and tops."

"We'll meet you at Windom's after Sam's appointment." Alexis smiled at her sister.

Sam was so excited she started rambling about how much she loved the water and swimming. She was talking so much and so quickly that everyone just watched her with huge grins on their faces. However her excitement deflated as soon as Sam found out that her appointment was with a shrink. "Why do I have to talk to a shrink?"

"You're seeing a therapist so you'll have someone to talk to." Alexis explained as they got off the elevator. "So much has changed in your life, Sam, it's got to be kind of a lot to take in."

"I'm not crazy." Sam said as Alexis checked her in at the nurses' station.

Alexis led her to the waiting area and sat her beside her. "No one said you were, Sam. It helps to talk to someone about the stuff going on in your life, it helps you to understand, and it helps to have someone who can give you advice. You can come and talk to me, or Kristina, or Jax, any time you want about anything at all, but sometimes there could be things you're not comfortable talking to us about. That's where Dr. Baldwin comes in. She talks to all kinds of people, all kinds of kids, about all kinds of things."

"I'm not crazy." Sam repeated as she slumped into her chair and crossed her arms. She didn't like it that Alexis thought there was something wrong with her. If she thought that something was wrong with her, she might send her away again, and with Carly with her mom, Sam would be alone again.

Thankfully Alexis was saved from trying to explain again when Gail came out. They spent a few minutes talking together before Gail took Sam into her office. She was hoping that Gail would be able to help them both with the major transition they were going through because she understood it her self. Sure Sam was her daughter biologically but they'd been separated for ten years, in a way it was like forging a relationship with an adopted child. Gail had experience professionally and personally given that she was Monica's adoptive mother and Scott Baldwin's stepmother. While she waited she decided to go over some of the information Jax and Diane had on Sam. She pulled out the file and started reading it over.

"Hey there mama Natasha."

Alexis looked up and smiled at Luke. She jumped to her feet and hugged him. Though it had been mostly Jax who'd found Sam, Luke had been a big help. "Thank you."

"Anything for you Natasha." Luke replied as they stepped back from each other. "You know that."

Alexis laughed. "You were helping your sister. It was a coincidence that her daughter and mine were together. But you did help Jax and for that, thank you."

"He really would do anything for you." Luke said with a smile. "Plus, it was fate darlin'." Luke said as he sat with her. "A Spencer and a Cassadine working together. Kind of reminds me of us."

Alexis pointed her finger at Luke and with a deadly seriousness Luke had never seen in her before replied, "Luke, I'm going to tell you this once, and I'm going to warn Stefan as well, I do not want my daughter involved in this insane Cassadine-Spencer war you two have going on."

"Spencer-Cassadine." Luke corrected.

"I don't care Luke!" Alexis said with a roll of her eyes. "You and Stefan will leave Sam out of it. Do I make myself clear?"

"She's your kid, Natasha, I would never put her in danger." Luke replied. "I wouldn't hurt her any more than I would you."

"And yet you still want to kill my brother." Alexis replied.

Luke smiled. "It's my life's goal."

Alexis groaned and rolled her eyes.

"You're not one of them Natasha." Luke said as he looked into her dark eyes. "You're your mother's daughter, not your father's."

"Put my daughter in danger Luke and you'll see just how much of a Cassadine I can be." Alexis said in a low, threatening voice.

Luke knew she was for real and that made him smile all the more. "Another time, another place, and I could have fallen for you Natasha."

Again Alexis rolled her eyes. The scary part was that she agreed with him. There was this strange undercurrent of attraction about their friendship, and under different circumstances she knew it could easily become one hell of a love affair. She also knew that it would never happen because they'd both end up burning each other to ash. They worked as friends and nothing more.

"Alexis." Gail said as she and Sam came out of her office.

Alexis turned and smiled. "How'd everything go?"

"We got to know each other." Gail said with a warm smile. "We're going to meet again in two weeks."

Sam looked slightly less annoyed then when she went in. Gail hadn't been pushy or anything and asked questions Sam didn't mind answering. When she spotted Luke she walked over to him, leaving Alexis to talk to Gail. "You're Carly's uncle."

"I am." Luke said with a warm smile. "I'm a good friend of your mom's too."

"Leave Carly alone." Sam warned. "Don't try getting rid of her again. Leave her be with her mom this time."

"Sam!" Alexis scolded as she caught what the little girl was saying.

Luke held up his hand. "It's ok Natasha."

Alexis shook her head. "No, it isn't." Alexis crouched down and looked her daughter in the eyes. "Samantha, we do no speak to adults that way. I know you're trying to protect Carly but you don't have too. She's with Bobbie and Bobbie is going to take good care of her, and Luke would never do anything to hurt his sister, and hurting Carly would hurt Bobbie."

Sam looked at Alexis because Alexis had a hold of her chin, but the minute she let go the girl glared at Luke. There was no need to say anything; the look she gave him said it all.

"I like you Slick." Luke said as he smiled at the girl. "I promise. I won't do anything to hurt Caroline." He added before getting up and kissing Alexis on the cheek before ruffling Sam's hair and walking off.

Before Alexis could scold her some more Sam looked at her. "Why did he call you Natasha?"

"Because that's the name I was born with." Alexis explained as she gathered up her papers. Then she continued, "I meant it Sam. I don't want you speaking to adults like that."

Sam rolled her eyes. It was really odd to hear Alexis use her full name, and it was odd to think that Alexis had a different name when she was born from the one she used now. "Did I have a different name when I was born?"

That caused Alexis to pause. She looked at the girl for a moment and then reached out and pulled her close. She sat Sam on her lap as she answered, "Yes, it was Kristin, after my mother."

"You gave me a name?" Sam asked, though it was less of a question for Alexis and more of a way for her to process that. Somehow knowing that Alexis had given her a name, named her after her own mother, gave Sam a bit of reassurance that what Alexis had been saying about wanting her was true. "It's a pretty name."

"I thought so too." Alexis said with a soft smile.

Sam was quiet for several long moments before finally jumping up and saying, "Come on! We're meeting Jax on his boat remember!"

Alexis was startled at the sudden shift but laughed as she stood up. "I remember, but first we're meeting Kristina at the store."

"So," Kristina said as she and Sam wandered about the children's department of Windom's while Alexis ran to the drug store for Dramamine. "How was your appointment with Dr. Baldwin?"

Sam made a face as she looked at some swimsuits. "Alexis thinks I'm crazy."

Kristina shook her head, which made her bright red ponytail sway. "No, she doesn't think you're crazy. She's just trying to make sure you have everything you need, is all."

"I don't need a shrink." Sam replied as she looked up at the older girl.

"I like Dr. Baldwin." Kristina told her niece as she held up a swimsuit that Sam shook her head at. "I think she's easy to talk to."

Sam blinked as she looked up at the older girl. "You talk to Dr. Baldwin? Are you crazy too?"

"We're not crazy." Kristina repeated. "We've both had a lot of stuff happen to us in short span of time."

Sam studied her aunt for several seconds before asking, "What happened to you?"

"Well," Kristina began as she stopped searching the rack to look at Sam. "My adoptive parents died and I came to live with Alexis, and we both had a lot of harsh truths to deal with."

Big brown eyes went huge as Sam's mouth dropped open. "You were given up for adoption too? God, doesn't anyone in your family keep their babies?"

Kristina frowned at the girl. "Our family." She corrected and then went on. "Your mother would have kept you if she could have, Sam. Mine had less of a choice then Alexis did; she died."

"Oh." Sam said as her flash of anger quickly turned to sadness. "I'm sorry."

Kristina pulled Sam over to a padded, upholstered bench and sat down with the girl beside her. "Our mother, Alexis' and mine, loved us very much. We were her world. When she died I was just a tiny baby and our father, Alexis' and mine, he couldn't take care of me. So he gave me to people who could care for me."

"But he could take care of Alexis?" Sam asked.

"No." Kristina said with a shake of her head. "He thought he could because she was older, you're age in fact, but he was wrong. Like you Alexis ended up taking care of herself, and like you she had someone in her life that understood and they ended up taking care of each other."

Sam thought that over a moment and said, "She had a Carly?"

Kristina laughed softly. "Yeah, she had a Carly; she had our brother Stefan." Kristina paused a moment and brushed at Sam's hair. "When she found out she was going to be a mother, Alexis wanted to love her baby as much as our Mama loved her, and even though she had to give you up, that didn't change. Even though she couldn't take care of you, that didn't stop her from loving you, and now that you're here, now that you're back where you belong, she's going to do whatever she can, whatever she has too, to take care of you." Kristina smirked then. "And trust me, sometimes that's going to be really annoying."

"Like making me see a shrink is annoying?" Sam asked.

The redhead laughed and nodded. "Yeap, you go it, Squirt." She stood and held out her hand. "Now come one lets get you a swimsuit so we can get out on that boat."


	13. Chapter 13

When the door opened Alexis smiled at Bobbie who returned the expression. "I'm so sorry we're here so early."

"It's alright." Bobbie said as she stepped aside and invited the young woman and small girl inside.

"I know we'd agreed on lunch, but Sam woke up screaming for Carly." Alexis explained as she and Sam walked into the brownstone.

As soon as Sam, who'd been quiet since leaving the penthouse, saw Carly she ran to the girl and threw her arms around her.

Carly was a little shocked. "Hey half pint." She said gently as she hugged Sam tight. "What's wrong?"

Sam let Carly guide her to couch and sat beside her as she looked down in embarrassment. She had had such a great time the day before. She'd spent hours on Jax's boat with him, Alexis and Kristina and then they'd gone out to dinner. She'd laughed and smiled and enjoyed herself. Then it dawned on her as she was getting ready for bed that she'd done it all that without Carly. "Nothing."

"Don't lie." Carly said as she made the girl look at her. "What's wrong Sam?" She looked over her shoulder at Bobbie and Alexis who were still talking in the foyer. Then she looked at Sam and asked, "Did something happen? Did she do something to you?"

Sam shook her head, her eyes a little wider, and then sighed. "I missed you."

That tugged at Carly's lips a bit. "I missed you too. It's really weird isn't it? We've spent every day together since the first day you came to the home."

"Yeah." Sam said softly and then looked up at Carly and admitted. "I was worried."

"About me?" Carly asked.

Sam nodded. "I was afraid you'd leave."

"Sam." Carly said as she again made the girl look at her. "I promised I wouldn't."

"I know." Sam replied. "But we went out on Jax's boat yesterday and I had fun and I was worried that you'd leave if you thought I was happy."

"Are you happy?" Carly asked. "I know it's only been a couple of days, but are you?"

Sam looked at Carly for a long time before shrugging. She was confused, scared, and unsure, but she had been happy yesterday.

"I'm not going to leave if you say you are." Carly reassured the younger girl. She smiled at Sam and then asked, "Did you have fun yesterday?"

"Jax's boat was so awesome!" Sam said with a nod, and for the first time since going to bed last night she smiled. She looked over at Alexis and than back at Carly. "I don't know how I feel. How am I supposed to feel?"

Carly sighed. "Honestly, I don't know, Sam. I can't tell you how you're suppose to feel, but whatever it is, it's alright to feel it."

Sam sighed. She was quiet for a moment before saying, "She's seriously uptight. She's kind of nervous and wired. But she's really nice, and kind, and so are Kristina and Jax."

"That's good, Sam." Carly said. "It's got to be just as weird for her as it is for you."

"Is it weird for you and Bobbie too?" Sam asked.

This time it was Carly's turn to sigh. "Yeah, sure it is."

Sam looked over to where Bobbie was and than again back at Carly. "Are you ok? Is she being good to you? I warned her she'd better be."

That made Carly laugh as she pulled the girl in for a hug. "You did?"

"Yeah." Sam admitted. "Someone has to look out for you. I warned Luke that he'd better leave you alone too. Alexis didn't like the way I talked to him, but to damn bad, he needed set straight."

"I'm glad you're looking out for me." Carly said as she smiled. She paused a moment before telling Sam, "I don't know how to feel either, Sam. I guess we're all just going to have to figure it out as we go."

Sam nodded. "Just remember that you promised."

Alexis and Bobbie watched the girls as they talked. Bobbie was afraid to push Carly too much. She knew that Carly was really angry and hurt, and that it wasn't all about her but a good portion of it was. She knew that some of that emotion was about loosing her parents and having her world turned upside down. Alexis felt unsure and afraid of making mistakes. She did not like feeling like she had no control and in this case there was only so much control she could have. She couldn't force a relationship with Sam.

"It won't always be like this." Bobbie said as she and Alexis watched their girls.

Alexis looked at the older woman. "What won't?"

"We won't always feel like we have to walk on eggshells." Bobbie clarified. "Or at least that's what I'm hoping."

"I don't know how to be a mother." Alexis confided as they walked through to Bobbie's family room and kitchen.

Bobbie chuckled. "No one knows how to be a parent, Alexis, you just kind of figure it out along the way. You just kind of do it."

Alexis frowned. "I'm not the just do it type."

"I thought I would have time to learn before I actually had to deal with teenage stuff." Bobbie admitted. "But here I am, learning as I go, just the way I had to with BJ and Lucas. Just the way you've had too with your sister. The best advice I can give you is to learn to be adaptable and to realize that kids don't always follow the plan."

Alexis sighed and nodded as she accepted a cup of coffee. "I had a feeling that would be the case. It's been easy with Kristina but Sam is a totally different story."

Bobbie smiled at her as they sat on the couch in her family room. They could still see the girls in the living room and Bobbie smiled at how spunky Sam was. "How have things been going with Sam?"

"So far so good." Alexis answered. "She's leery of me, I think, leery of this whole situation."

"So is Carly." Bobbie said. "Carly's really emotional right now and I think that's going to keep her from really settling into this sudden reality of hers."

Alexis looked out to see Sam smiling, laughing, her arms stretched as wide as they could go, she was clearly telling Carly about Jasper the humongous turtle. "They've both been through so much more then any child should."

Bobbie nodded in agreement. "I haven't been able to get Carly to talk about much but I can see it when she does say something. She loved her adoptive parents and she's spent the last few years focused on survival."

"If I had known…" Alexis began.

"We can't do that to ourselves, Alexis." Bobbie said as she put a hand on the younger woman's knee. "We can't beat ourselves up for the choices we made when we were just kids. We couldn't have foreseen any of this happening." She paused and sighed. "But that doesn't make the guilt go away does it?"

Alexis shook her head. "No, it doesn't, but I'm going to make up for it nonetheless. I'm going to make sure the rest of my daughter's life is better then it's start."

After having lunch with Bobbie and Carly, Alexis took Sam back to the penthouse and left her with Kristina. She had some things to do for Cassadine Industries and wanted to speak with Stefan personally as well.

Once the professional things were out of the way Stefan asked, "How is Samantha?"

"She's confused, scared, unsure of the unknown." Alexis answered honestly. "But she's adjusting. We took her out on the lake yesterday and she was in heaven. I think she's a natural around the water."

That got a smile from Stefan. "Perhaps I will finally have someone to enjoy sailing with. Nikolas is willing to learn but I know his passions are on land, preferably on a horse."

"You know, I think that would be wonderful." Alexis replied with a smile before turning serious. "But before we start planning any sailing lessons, we need to discuss something."

"Of course." Stefan said as he got up from his desk and walked towards the refreshment table. "What is your concern?"

Alexis loved and hated the fact that her brother could read her so well. "Caroline Benson is Bobbie Spencer's daughter, that makes her a Spencer, and she means a great deal to Sam. She took care of Sam, looked out for her in that awful home, and did whatever she had to do to make things right for Sam. Stefan, until Carly, my daughter had never been given a gift, or shown any kind of affection, or even felt safe, or stable, or loved." She paused to take a breath. "Stefan, I don't want you spewing out you Spencer hate around my daughter. She loves Carly and I won't have you bad mouthing the girl's family in front of Sam."

"Alexis." Stefan said after several seconds. "Do you really think it wise to allow Sam to continue her…"

"Stefan." Alexis warned. "I have no plans to keep Sam and Carly apart. They're like sisters; they have each other's backs. Splitting them up would be like someone splitting the two of us apart when we were kids." She stepped closer to her brother as she added, "I already warned Luke and now I'm warning you. Leave my daughter out of your little war."

Stefan looked at his sister carefully and then smiled. "Motherhood suits you."

"Stefan Darius Mikkosovich Cassadine, I love you with all my heart, you know that, but I mean it. Leave Samantha out of your war with Luke Spencer." Alexis warned as she pointed a finger at him. "Swear it, Stefan."

"I swear it." Stefan said honestly. "I would never harm your child, Alexis. I will protect her as I do Nikolas. I have nothing against Barbara Spencer. It's her brother I wish to see as cold and as dead as our father."

Alexis eyed her brother carefully. "See, that's the problem Stefan. You and Luke swear up and down that you'd never hurt the ones you love, but every time you speak of the other like that, it hurts us, me, Laura, and if you're not careful Samantha."

"Then I shall be more careful with my words." Stefan told her. "And my actions. My feelings about Luke Spencer however are my own."

"Fair enough." Alexis replied. "If you two want to keep being little boys trying to blow each other up, go for it, just don't blow the rest of us up with you." She walked over and kissed her brother's cheek before preparing to leave.

When his sister was by the door Stefan called out to her, "Alexis. Like it or not Samantha is a Cassadine."

Alexis paused, turned to her brother and replied, "No, she's a Davis."

Stefan smiled and after Alexis was gone added, "Just like her mother."


	14. Chapter 14

Sam had been home for a month and so far things had gone fairly well. She and Alexis were still figuring each other out so there were no real hang-ups. Alexis was sure that allowing Sam to see Carly every couple of days was helping, and she liked having Bobbie to talk to as well. The more relaxed they became with each other the more of Sam Alexis really got to see. The little girl had such an adventurous spirit, such a 'love life don't just live it' attitude, that Alexis simply loved even though she knew that at some point it would become an issue between them. She'd already seen glimpses of it in the way Sam dived off Jax's boat and her continued curiosity regarding Sonny. Alexis was also foreseeing some issues coming from their general differences in the every day.

"Sam," Alexis said with a sigh as they made their way to the launch. "Are you going to pout all evening?"

"Why couldn't I wear jeans?" Sam asked as she tugged and pulled on the dress Alexis was making her wear.

"Because we always dress for dinner with Stefan." Alexis explained yet again.

Kristina was smirking and giggling behind her hand. Her sister and niece had been bricking since lunch about the dress. It was a very simple navy blue dress, no fluffy bits, no frills; Sam simply hated it for being a dress. "It's only a couple of hours, Sammie. When we get home we can ditch the dresses, put on our jammies and watch another black and white movie, you're choice."

Sam just sighed. She was not a girly girl and the dress was getting on her nerves. She was also feeling a little weird about having dinner with Stefan and meeting Nikolas. The only good thing she saw about this whole evening was finally getting to see Windermere and Spoon Island.

As they made their way across the lake Alexis could see Sam tensing up as they approached the island. She put her hand on the girl's shoulder and gave her a warm smile. "It'll be ok, Sam. Kristina and I will be there with you and I'm sure you're going to love Nikolas. He's Lucky's brother you know."

"Yeah, I know." Sam said. "But Lucky says he has a stick up his a…"

Kristina quickly put her hand over her niece's mouth before she could finish her sentence. "Lets not repeat that out loud, Squirt. Besides, it's not true. Nikolas is a lovely little man."

Alexis gave her daughter a look that agreed with Kristina's statement, and then a look at Kristina because she knew her sister meant more behind her choice of words. It was true, Nikolas did act more like a little man than a little boy, but they were working on that.

When they reached Windermere Mrs. Lansbury greeted them and walked them to the living room, where Stefan and Nikolas were waiting. When they walked in Stefan smiled brightly. "Welcome." He kissed his sisters' cheeks and then smiled at Sam. "Welcome Samantha." He kissed her on each cheek before adding; "I'm so pleased to have you here tonight."

"Hi." Sam said as she inched closer to Alexis.

Alexis put her hand on Sam's shoulder as she waved Nikolas closer. "Sam, this is your cousin Nikolas. Nikolas, I'd like you to meet my daughter, Samantha."

"Hello Cousin Samantha." Nikolas greeted as he took her hand and kissed the back of it.

Sam blinked when Nikolas kissed her hand. She looked up at her mother as if to ask, what the hell? And got a warm and reassuring smile in return. Then she looked at Nikolas and said, "Hi. Nice to meet you."

"This is worse then a business dinner." Kristina groaned after watching the two kids stand there uncomfortably. "They're cousins not clients. Come on Sammy; Niky and I will show you around the house, it's really kind of cool."

"Ok." Sam said as she moved over to her aunt. The two had grown rather close over the weeks. Kristina was easy to talk to and had the same easy way about her that Sam had.

"Hmmm, what should we show her first Niky?" Kristina asked as they left the room. These were just kids and she wanted them to be more comfortable with each other, and she knew that that wouldn't happen around Stefan. She adored her brother but he was a little stuffy.

Nikolas thought for a moment and then said, "The stables?"

"You have horses?" Sam asked, forgetting for a moment that she was really uncomfortable.

Nikolas nodded with a smile. "I enjoy riding. Do you?"

Sam shrugged. "I've never even seen a real horse before."

Kristina smiled. "Stables it is then." Then her smile turned to a grin. "Lets take the tunnels."

"Tunnels?" Sam asked.

This time Nikolas smiled. "The house is full of tunnels and secret passageways."

"Really?" Sam asked with wide eyes. "How come?"

Nikolas shrugged. "It's an old castle, I suppose old castles are just like that. Our home in Greece is the same. So is the one in Russia."

Sam was feeling uncomfortable again. What the hell was she doing with people who had castles in the middle of lakes and in foreign countries? "Why do you have so many castles?"

"Because," Nikolas said as he opened a panel in the wall to revile a doorway. "I'm a prince."

That stopped the little girl in her tracks. "What?"

"I'm a prince." Nikolas said with all seriousness.

Sam stared at the boy before putting her hands on her hips and saying, "No you're not."

"Yes I am." Nikolas said with a frown as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I am a prince."

"You are full of sh…" Sam started but once again found her aunt's hand over her mouth. She was getting a little tired of that.

Kristina smiled down at the girl. "He really is a prince, Sammie." She giggled when Sam's eyebrows crunched down as she silently asked if she were for real. Kristina nodded. "The Cassadines are Russian royalty. Technically your mom's a princess, which means so are you, but since Nikolas is the only son of the first born son, that means he ranks higher then us."

Nikolas smiled in a way that only a twelve-year-old boy could smile when picking on his younger cousin. "Which means you have to listen to me."

Sam pulled her aunt's hand away from her mouth. "The hell I do."

"Samantha, that is no way for a young lady to speak." Nikolas scolded.

"Well it's better then talking like an old man." Sam shot back.

"Alright you two knock it off." Kristina said as they made their way through the passageway. She was glad the two were relaxing around each other, but she didn't want to listen to them bicker all evening.

With her attention off her new cousin Sam was able to take in where they were. After a few minutes she couldn't help but say, "This is cool. It's like something out of an old movie."

"You like old movies?" Nikolas asked as they slipped outside into the warm summer air.

Sam nodded. "I've been watching James Bond movies with Jax and musicals with Kristina."

Nikolas smiled at that. "I enjoy them as well but Uncle doesn't allow me to watch often. I enjoy watching westerns as well. Do you?"

"I haven't seen any." Sam replied.

Kristina beamed. "It sounds like we need a movie night. I'll arrange it with Stefan and Alexis."

After they checked out the stables and Nikolas had Sam convinced that the horses wouldn't hurt her and she should give riding a try, the three of them made their way back inside. When Alexis came looking for them she found them in Nikolas' sitting room. She watched with a warm loving smile as her darling nephew taught her precious little girl how to play chess. Nikolas and Sam were as different as night and day and she was worried that they wouldn't hit it off. She was more then glad to have Kristina there to act as a link between the two. She wanted the two children she simply adored to be close.

"Very good Samantha!" Nikolas praised after Sam made a rather clever move for a first timer.

Sam smiled before she chuckled. "I guess this could be a fun game."

"It is a fun game sweetheart." Alexis said as a way to make her presence known. "Nikolas is a very good teacher, and I know that Jax and Stefan both play as well."

"Do you play Alexis?" Sam asked.

Alexis nodded. "I do, but not nearly as well."

Sam smiled and then looked at Nikolas as she said, "I'm going to practice and I'm going to beat you."

Nikolas laughed. "Is that a challenge Cousin Samantha?"

"Yeap." Sam answered.

"Then you're on." Nikolas replied and the two shook hands on it.

Alexis laughed. "Alright you two. It's time for dinner. Lets get washed up and down to the dinning room. Stefan is waiting on us."

As they made their way to the guest bathroom Sam asked, "Alexis, is it true what Kristina and Nikolas said about us being princesses?"

The question caught Alexis off guard and she gave her sister a little glare as she answered, "Well, in principle, yes it is."

"In principle? What does that mean?" Sam asked.

"It means that officially, on paper, we are." Alexis explained. "But in real life, the way we live our lives, we're just normal people."

Sam thought about it for a moment and then asked, "Is that why your last name is different? Cause you wanted to be a real person and not some stuffy princess with a stick…"

"Samantha!" Alexis warned, sighed, and pinched the bridge of her nose. "You have got to stop saying that."

Kristina giggled as she whispered to Sam, "She took the stick out a long time ago.

"Kristina!" Alexis scolded.

"Sorry." The girls apologized while smirking. Truth be told Sam really liked getting a reaction from Alexis by saying things she knew pushed the woman's buttons. It was kind of funny to watch.

Alexis sighed again and then said, "Lets drop it for now, ok? We're here so you can get to know your family better and so they can get to know you." She brushed at Sam's hair and smiled. "Ok?"

Sam nodded. "Ok. Hey! Did you know this place is full of old tunnels and stuff?"

Alexis laughed as Sam began an excited rant about how cool the house was. Most people saw Windermere as an old, stuffy mausoleum, but her baby saw it as a place full of wonder and adventure. Sam's view made Alexis smile and cringe at the same time. She enjoyed seeing Sam so bright, happy, and excited, but at the same time one never knew what was lurking in the dark in this place. Alexis did not like the idea of Sam exploring alone on the island or in the house.

Jake's was rather empty since it was a Sunday night, but not empty enough that Carly couldn't blend in. She had been feeling boxed in and smothered at the brownstone and had really needed to get away from it and the people inside. Bobbie was trying not to try so hard but Carly could tell that the woman wanted to do more; Carly simply wasn't ready to be mothered by the woman. BJ and Lucas were good kids and she liked them a lot, so they weren't an issue. Tony however, she didn't think he liked her much, she didn't realize that Bobbie and Tony were having issues long before she showed up.

With Bobbie working late at the hospital it had been easy for Carly to sneak out of the house, and with her Carly Roberts id it was easy for her to get into Jake's. As she made her way to the bar she caught sight of a somewhat familiar face. She walked over to him and smiled, "AJ, right?"

AJ smiled at her. "That's right, and you're Carly, Bobbie's daughter."

And there it was. In just a few weeks the whole town know identified her as Bobbie's daughter. It was really irritating. "Yeap, that's me."

The tension rolled off Carly in waves so AJ asked, "Can I buy you a drink?"

"Are you old enough to buy me a drink?" Carly asked with a smirk.

"No, but you'd be surprised what a hundred dollar tip for each glass of vodka will get you." The handsome dirty blonde seventeen year old replied.

Carly looked at AJ for a moment. She'd heard the Q's were loaded but damn. "Well, in that case, keep 'em coming."

AJ turned around and ordered a bottle of vodka and two glasses. Then he and Carly went to a table and he poured them each a drink. "So how are you liking Port Charles?"

"It's alright I guess." Carly answered before taking a drink of the vodka. She'd never had it before it and it burned, causing her eyes to water, and when she spoke again her voice was horse. She had to clear it twice before she sounded normal again. "I haven't really had a chance to see much of it."

"You alright?" AJ asked with a chuckle.

Carly wasn't one to look weak so she downed the rest of her drink and croaked, "Fine."

AJ smiled and laughed. "How's things with Bobbie?"

"She's nice." Carly answered. "It's really annoying."

The two teens talked and drank for about an hour. Carly was pretty drunk by the time they went out into the parking lot. They went over to AJ's car and started making out. "Let me drive you home." AJ said when they came up for air.

Carly wasn't comfortable with that. She knew she was drunk and she had a pretty good idea AJ was too. "No," She slurred. "I think I'll walk."

"Come on." AJ encouraged. "I'm not drunk if that's what your worried about."

"I'd rather walk." Carly replied. "I should clear my head before going back to Bobbie's."

AJ grinned as he reached to kiss her again. "You don't have to go back to Bobbie's tonight. There are rooms upstairs."

This time the kiss made Carly uncomfortable and she tried to push AJ away. He held a little tighter to her, she pushed a little harder, and then thankfully she heard the best sound ever.

"Caroline!"

The two teens jumped apart and spun around to see Bobbie standing there. The redhead walked up to them and pulled Carly away from AJ. She could smell the vodka and frowned. "You're both drunk!"

"No!" Carly protested. "Not much." She said and then went on. "Maybe a little."

Bobbie shook her head. "I hope to god you weren't planning on getting into a car?" Carly shook her head and something about the look on her face told Bobbie she hadn't been. AJ on the other hand was a different story. "I'm calling Ned."

"You don't have to do that." AJ protested. "I'm fine."

"No, AJ, you're not." Bobbie replied.

After Ned picked up his drunk cousin Bobbie took her drunk daughter home. She knew there was no sense in talking to her now; she'd wait till morning, so when they got back to the brownstone she helped Carly up to bed. "Don't think you're not in trouble, Caroline." Bobbie told her once they were in the girl's room. "Because you are, big trouble, but we'll deal with it tomorrow."

Carly let Bobbie help her get ready for bed without a word. She was feeling dizzy and warm, and suddenly very tired. "Ya know," Carly said as Bobbie helped her into bed. "My Momma would've liked you."

"I bet I would have liked her too." Bobbie said as she pulled the covers up over her daughter.

"I wish you two could have met." Carly rattled off in her near sleep drunken state.

Bobbie reached over and brushed at her daughter's hair. "I wish we could have too sweetie."

The next morning Bobbie waited for Carly to get up. It was the sound of Carly being sick in the bathroom that let her know she was. Going into the bathroom Bobbie wet a cloth and without a word to the girl she held her hair back and put the cloth on the back of her neck. When Carly was finished throwing up Bobbie handed her a glass of water.

"Thanks." Carly said in a horse voice.

"You're welcome." Bobbie replied.

Carly looked up at her mother with a look of uncertainty.

"Lets get you downstairs." Bobbie said as she helped Carly up. "A little dry toast and strong tea will help."

"Ok." Carly said carefully.

Bobbie noticed the looks and it was heartbreaking. A kid shouldn't feel so uncertain about things. Bobbie needed to change that. Once they were downstairs she sat Carly at the table and kissed the top of her head. She waited until Carly had finished her toast and tea before sitting beside her and making the teen look at her. "I'm not going to ask what you were thinking because it was pretty clear you were thinking you could do whatever you wanted. You're fifteen Caroline, you don't belong in a bar." When Carly started to protest Bobbie stopped her. "You're name is Caroline, Carly is a nickname and right now young lady is not a time for nicknames."

Carly huffed and pouted. She had a headache and didn't want to deal with this.

"You went to a bar and got drunk, Caroline, if you were after my attention you got it." Bobbie continued. "The honeymoon is over sweetheart. We're going to lay down some ground rules and you're going to follow them, and there will be consequences if you don't. And there's no time like the present to get started. You're grounded."

"You can't do that!" Carly protested.

"I'm your mother Caroline." Bobbie said firmly. "I can do this and I am doing this."

Carly was a little shocked.

"Face it kid," Bobbie said as she held her daughter's face in her hands. "We're doing this whole parent child thing wither you like it or not." Leaning in Bobbie kissed the girl on her nose. "Now go upstairs. You can stay in your room until lunch."

For a long moment Carly sat there trying to figure out what to do. Should she run? Should she fight back? Yell, scream, get even? A hundred different things passed through her mind as blue eyes remained locked with hazel. In the end, for some reason she didn't understand, Carly got up and went to her room. She flopped on her bed, which didn't help her headache, and stared up at the ceiling. She'd been on her own for so long, trying to just get by day to day, that she'd stopped thinking about her actions. Now though, she found herself thinking for the first time in years what her momma would think of her, and for the first time ever, what Bobbie thought of her as well.


	15. Chapter 15

It had been a long day and the elevator ride up to her penthouse seemed to be taking forever. Alexis had finally managed to get caught up on the work she'd missed when she took off to be with Sam. It hadn't been as bad as she thought, but it had still be days' worth of extra work. There was a downside to having a solitary private practice, no lackeys to do the dirty work. As the elevator came to a stop Alexis' mind drifted to her bathtub full of hot water and bubbles, a hot cup of tea with a splash of something grown up in it, and a nice trashy romance novel. As she stepped off the elevator however her daydream deflated.

"Hey." Sonny greeted as Alexis stepped off the elevator. "I was hoping to catch you."

Alexis looked up at the dark man whose bodyguard was now holding open the elevator doors. "Please tell me you haven't done something stupid." She told him, which was rewarded with a dimpled smile that made her groan inwardly. "Because I'm really to tired to get you out of jail right now."

"See, that's why I like you." Sonny said as he continued to flash his dimples. "You're always watching out for me."

Alexis raised an eyebrow at him as she gave a slight shake of her head. "What do you need Sonny?"

Sonny motioned to Max who went into his boss' penthouse and returned a few minutes later with a wrapped gift. Sonny took it from him and held it out to Alexis.

"What's that?" Alexis asked as she eyed the package suspiciously. One never knew when something would blow up when it came to Sonny.

"I heard about your little girl." Sonny said as he continued to hold out the present. "I was a little hurt you didn't tell me yourself and that you haven't introduced us, but I forgive you." He flashed her another dimple deep smile. "I picked this up for her."

Alexis soften a little and returned her friend's smile. "You didn't have to do that. And it isn't just you I haven't introduced her too. I'm exposing her to Port Charles in slow doses."

Sonny shrugged when she said he didn't have to get the gift and then gave her a genuine smile when she took the gift. "You look happy, Alexis."

That got a genuine smile from her. "I am, Sonny."

"Good." He replied as he stepped into the elevator. He was still smiling as the door closed.

Alexis held the gift for a moment and then held it to her ear to make sure it wasn't ticking. She wondered what it was. Balancing the gift and her brief case she managed to get the door open. All her stress and fatigue melted at the sight that greeted her. Sam and Jax were on the couch watching yet another James Bond movie. There were take out boxes and soda cans littering the coffee table and a bowl of popcorn setting between them. She closed the door softly behind her and set her things on the desk as she watched them. Just as she knew Jax would always be in her life in one form or another, Alexis was absolutely sure that he would also be in Sam's. She smiled at the thought. She really couldn't ask for a better father figure for her girl.

Walking over to the sofa she leaned down and kissed Sam on top of the head, before kissing Jax on the lips. "I see you've moved into the Rodger Moore era."

"Yeap." Jax said with a smile.

"Jax bought me the books." Sam said as she pointed to the box full of books next to the coffee table.

"That was very nice of him." Alexis said brightly. "Did you say thank you?" When Sam nodded Alexis kissed the top of her head again. "Good girl." Being this close Alexis could see that the take out boxes weren't the normal boxes from her favorite Chinese place. These were from Jax's favorite place. "Jasper Jacks! What in the hell are you feeding my child?"

Sam beamed as she looked up at her mother. "Octopus! It's really good Alexis, you want some?"

Alexis couldn't try hiding the disgust on her face even if she tried. "No thank you sweetie." She glared at Jax. "Should she be eating that?"

Jax laughed. "It's not going to hurt her."

As if to make his point for him Sam took another piece of tentacle from the box and ate it. This caused her mother to shudder, which in turn caused Sam to giggle madly.

"You've corrupted my daughter with your nasty outback eating habits." Alexis said with a shake of her head and soft chuckle.

"Those are more my coastal easting habits then outback. Besides, she can't live off popcorn." Jax laughed. "And Ingrid has the night off."

Ingrid was Mrs. Lansbury's niece. Alexis had hired her to help out with the cooking, cleaning, and looking after Sam. Sam was not happy with the arrangement. The girl refused to accept the fact that she couldn't be left alone and needed a sitter. "Did you at least order something normal for those of us who eat normal food?"

"Its in the kitchen." Sam said as she paused the movie. Looking over her shoulder she spotted the gift sitting on the desk. "What's that?"

Alexis looked at the gift and then at Sam. For a moment she thought of not giving it to her. Sonny was her friend, but she still remained leery of him because of his life style. Though she was pretty sure he would never hurt her or her daughter, at least not on purpose anyway. That last thought scared her a bit. "It's a gift for you from Mr. Corinthos."

Sam jumped to her feet and rushed the desk to get the gift. "Why did he give me a gift?"

"Because he's my client and it's a polite thing to do." Alexis explained as she watched Sam examine the gift-wrapping. She shared a look with Jax before telling Sam, "Go ahead and open it sweetie."

"Ok." Sam said as she ripped off the paper. When she opened the box she found a hand held video game and a bunch of game cartages. "It's a Gameboy! This is awesome!"

Alexis just shook her head. Leave it to Sonny to go over board and buy an overly expensive gift for a child he didn't know as a way to get in good with her mother. "You should write Mr. Corinthos a thank you note, Sam, and I'll give it to him."

"Can't I tell him thank you myself?" Sam asked. It hadn't gone unnoticed that her mother tried really hard to keep her from running into their neighbor. And she knew that Alexis didn't like her watching through the peephole for more reasons than it just being rude.

"A note is the proper and polite way to do it." Alexis inform the girl. "Why don't you take your new game and books up to your room? You and Jax can finish your movie later."

"Ok." Sam said. She gather up her things and half way up the stairs she stopped and said, "I like the books better, Jax." Then she ran upstairs. It was her way of saying, "I like you more."

Jax grinned at that. He understood her meaning and that touched his heart. His grin brightened when Alexis came to the sofa and sat beside him, leaning into his body. He put his arm around her.

"How did you do that?" Alexis asked.

"Do what?" Jax asked in return.

"Get her to adore you in such a short amount of time." Alexis replied.

Jax's grin turned into a smirk as he teased, "Like mother like daughter?"

Alexis laughed until Jax leaned down and kissed her. He wrapped his arms around her as she pressed her body against his.

"Are you done making out yet?" Sam yelled from upstairs. "I wanna finish the movie!"

Alexis pulled back from Jax and blushed. Jax laughed as she hid her face in his chest. "Yes, come on down."

"Brat." Alexis mumbled into Jax's chest, which made him laugh.

"Her or me?" He asked as he rubbed her back.

"Both." She answered.

Sam came bonding down the stairs and took her place on the couch again. She wiggled herself in between her mother and Jax and then said, "Well, come on, start the movie already."

"So her mother's daughter." Jax teased.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Alexis asked.

"He's calling me bossy." Sam said as she picked up the remote and started up the movie again.

Alexis put her hand on her hip. "I am not bossy!"

Sam snorted. "Yes you are."

Jax just shrugged with a smirk on his face. He kissed Alexis and then went back to watching the movie with Sam. Alexis heaved a heavy sigh and went upstairs to change. She decided a night on the couch with Sam and Jax was a much better idea then a bath. The bath could wait. She was taking as many opportunities as she could to spend time with her daughter. Sam had relaxed a little over the weeks she'd been with Alexis, and she was getting close to Kristina and Jax, but the girl was still keeping Alexis at arms length. Alexis could understand why Sam was doing it, the girl was scared of being hurt, but it was starting to hurt Alexis a little more each day. They were both trying so hard but there was still something coming between them.

After the movie finished and their dinner trash taken care of Alexis looked over at Sam and watched her for a moment. She still had these moments of complete awe when she would see the beautiful little girl and realize she was hers. "Alright my little princess, it's time to get ready for bed. We have a big morning tomorrow."

Sam groaned. "Why do I have to go look at that stupid school?"

"Because you'll be attending that school soon." Alexis answered. "Now go upstairs and get ready for bed. I'll be up in a moment."

"I don't see why I can't go to public school." Sam grumbled before saying good night to Jax and heading upstairs. "Krissy gets to go to public school." She continued to complain.

Alexis just shook her head as she listened to the girl complain all the way up the stairs and down the hall.

"She has a point." Jax said. "There's nothing wrong with public schools."

Alexis pointed a finger at him and narrowed her eyes. He just held his hands up and chuckled. After putting Sam to bed Alexis waited up for Kristina who'd been out with her friends. The two stayed up and talked for a little while, Alexis trying once again to convince Kristina to go to her choice of school rather then PC High, but Kristina wasn't hearing it. The next morning Alexis asked her sister to come along to tour Sam's school but Kristina refused. The girl was convinced that she would get just as good an education at the public school as she would Madison Prep. Alexis was less convinced and figured her sister's desire centered more around her current crush then her desire to prove the worth of a public education.

"So what did you think?" Alexis asked Sam as they were leaving the school.

Sam shrugged. She'd never in a million years have pictured herself as a private school girl. Hell there had been times, even at ten, when Sam wondered if she'd even finish school at all. Part of her was kind of excited about the idea of school, even a snobby private school, but another part of her, a larger part was terrified, she wasn't really smart, at least not that kind of smart.

"I know it seems daunting sweetheart." Alexis said as they walked out to the car. "But you'll be fine. We'll do whatever we need to make sure you're caught up and comfortable." She gave her girl a reassuring smile as they met up with Ingrid who was waiting for them in the parking lot. Alexis heard Sam groan and sighed inwardly. "I need to go into the office, Sam. Why don't you and Ingrid have lunch at Kelly's before heading home?"

"Fine." Sam said. She let Alexis hug her and then climbed into Ingrid's car. Sam liked the young woman well enough. Ingrid was nice and she made really great food, and she could even be fun to hang out with, but Sam was ten, she'd been on her own for a long time, so she didn't need a nanny. She was feeling smothered and annoyed over this whole school thing, so she was a little grumpy, and she needed some space. When she was nearly done with her patty melt she looked up at the young blonde woman sitting with her and said, "I need to use the bathroom. I'll be right back."

"Alright." Ingrid said with a soft smile.

The young woman never saw Sam slip out the back door. Sam loved watching the ships in the harbor so she headed down to the docks. As she descended the steps she saw the dark man from across the hall punching one of the rope covered dock pilings. He looked really upset and for a moment she thought of walking away, but she'd been really curious about the man and this was her first chance to see him up-close rather then through the peephole. "That looks like it hurt."

Sonny spun around at the sound of the voice, his anger rising, but then it died down when he saw it was just a little girl. He looked at her and then down at his bloody knuckles. "Its not bad." He said as he looked up at her again. He looked around to see if she were with someone but didn't see anyone. "You shouldn't be down here alone, kid."

Sam shrugged. "I can take care of myself."

She had this look about her that made Sonny smile. She looked like a kid from his old neighborhood, not the hair or clothes, but in her attitude and bearing. "Where's your mom, kid?"

"At work." Sam replied. "Probably working on something for you."

Sonny raised an eyebrow, really looked her over, and then smiled. "You're Alexis' daughter?"

Sam nodded. "Thanks for the Gameboy."

"Glad you liked it." Sonny said as he moved closer to the girl. "My name's Sonny by the way."

"Sam." Sam answered.

Sonny couldn't help but smile. "You're mother has no idea where you are does she?"

Sam shrugged. "I was with my…" She tried to think of a good word that didn't make her sound like a baby.

"Nanny?" Sonny offered. Sam made a face that made him laugh. "Yeah, you don't seem like the nanny type of kid."

"Could you tell Alexis that?" Sam said with a huff. "She thinks I'm some kind of baby."

Sonny shrugged as he said, "Well, you are her baby."

That made the girl groan. She looked down at his hands and then back up at him, "You're hands are bleeding."

"They're ok." Sonny repeated. "We should get you back to where ever you left your sitter."

"I'd rather watch the ships." Sam replied as she moved closer to the rope railings. The water was just so calming to her.

Sonny smiled. "You're mother is going to freak out if she finds out you took off."

"Alexis doesn't freak out." Sam said as she took a deep breath of the harbor air, and then walked over and sat on the bench. "She's a bit high strung but she doesn't freak out."

That really made Sonny laugh. "Clearly you haven't done anything to make her really…"

"Samantha Kristin Davis!" Alexis yelled as she came down the stairs.

"Freak out." Sonny finished with a knowing look.

Alexis stormed over to Sam and pulled her off the bench and into a hug before stepping back and asking, "What on earth do you think you're doing?"

"Talking to Sonny." Sam said honestly.

That's when Alexis noticed Sonny who was standing there smirking at her.

"We were watching the ships." He said as he did his best to hide his hands. There was no reason to send her into one of her breathing fits; he didn't have a paper bag on him.

Alexis narrowed her eyes at him before turning back to glare at her daughter. "You young lady are in so much trouble!" She gave her daughter a little push. "Lets go."

Sam shrugged and then gave a little wave as she said, "Bye Sonny. Nice meeting you."

"See ya around, kid." Sonny replied with a soft smile.

Sam sat on the couch and watched as her mother paced back and forth. For the first time since coming to live with Alexis, Alexis was actually angry with her. Sam was a little scared.

Alexis paced until she felt a little calmer and then stopped and looked at her daughter. "Why?" She asked simply. "Why on earth did you sneak off like that?"

Sam shrugged.

"No." Alexis said as she sat on the coffee table across from Sam. "No, Samantha, I want an answer. You scared the hell out of Ingrid, and me, and I want to know why?"

"I wanted to take a walk." Sam answered.

"You wanted to take a walk." Alexis repeated and then stood up and threw her hands in the air. She sighed, crossed one arm across her stomach and pinched the bridge of her nose with the hand her glasses were entangled in. She took a deep breath and then looked at her daughter again. "That was unacceptable, Samantha. You don't just sneak out and take off like that. I don't want you on the docks alone. I don't want you slipping out, or slipping away, or taking off. I need to know where you are, Samantha, I need to know that you're safe."

"I just went down to the docks!" Sam protested. "I'm not a baby!"

Alexis sat in front of the girl again and looked her right in the eyes. "You're a ten-year-old little girl. You're MY ten-year-old little girl. Those docks can be dangerous for adults, Samantha; I don't want you down there alone. I know you're use to taking care of yourself, but that's my job now, to take care of you, to protect you, and to teach you that there are rules, and that when you break those rules there are consequences." Alexis didn't falter when Sam looked at her with a daring look. "You're grounded Samantha. Two weeks, no tv, no gameboy, no music, extra chores. Do it again, and it'll be a month."

"Alexis!" Sam protested.

"Don't Alexis me, Samantha Davis!" Alexis replied as she pointed a finger at her daughter. "Go to your room and stay put until dinner."

Sam sat there a moment glaring at her mother, and then yelled, "My name is Sam McCall!" Before jumping up and running up the stairs.

Alexis put her head in her hands and sighed.

Dinner that night had been quiet and tense. When Alexis went to say goodnight, Sam wouldn't even look at her, and the next morning when she went to check on the girls Sam was gone. "Kristina! Wake up! Where's Sam?"

"What?" The teenager said groggily.

"Sam?" Alexis repeated. "Where's Sam?"

Kristina sat up. When she didn't see her niece in her bed she frowned. The two of them checked the penthouse and couldn't find Sam anywhere.

"I was too hard on her." Alexis said in a moment of doubt.

"No." Kristina said with a shake of her head. "She's just not use to being punished. She's not use to having someone respond to her actions. She and Carly, they had to steal and cheat just to make it through the day…"

"Carly!" Alexis said, cutting her sister off. She kissed Kristina on the forehead and then took off. Fifteen minutes later she was knocking on the door of the brownstone. "Hi Bobbie. I'm sorry to be here so early but is my daughter here?"

Bobbie blinked in surprise. "I don't think so." She answered. When she saw the look on Alexis' face she said, "Lets check."

Sure enough they found Sam curled up in bed with Carly.

"I can't believe this." Alexis said as a wash of emotion flooded through her. "She left and I didn't even know it."

Bobbie put her hand on Alexis' arm. "What happened?" Alexis explained everything as she and Bobbie stood in the hall. Bobbie smiled sympathetically. "Alexis, you did the right thing, you acted like a parent. You were being her mother. It scared Sam and she ran to what was safe and familiar, Carly, give it time and you'll be the safe and familiar thing she runs too."

Alexis listened and sighed. She smiled at Bobbie and thanked her. Then she went into Carly's room. "Samantha." She said firmly as she gently rubbed her daughter's arm. "Samantha, wake up baby."

"Alexis?" Sam groaned and slowly opened her eyes.

"Hi baby." Alexis said as the girls came too. "Say goodbye to Carly my love. It may be awhile before see the light of day again."


	16. Chapter 16

Being grounded for a month was cruel and unusual punishment for a ten year old. Alexis had been serious about her threat and had indeed grounded Sam for a month for sneaking out to Carly's in the early morning. With the exception of Saturday morning brunch with Bobbie and Carly and Sunday evenings at Windermere Sam hadn't been allowed out of the penthouse, she'd barely been allowed out of her room. The only upside to being on house arrest was that Sam had been able to get to know more about her new family. She and Kristina discovered that not only did they like old black and white movies, but they also had similar tastes in music, and to her surprise her aunt could sing. As for Alexis, she and Sam spent a lot of nights simply talking. Alexis was never pushy about asking about Sam's past, but there had been a time or two when Sam opened up and told her about Danny and even a little about Cody and Evelyn. Sam had been relived when Alexis didn't look at her with any kind of disappointment or disgust when she talked about helping Cody con people. Sam had never felt good about what they'd done, she'd known it was wrong, but she had no choice. She did wish that Alexis wouldn't look so sad, hurt, and angry when she talked about Evelyn. It was like a knife to Alexis' heart to hear what that woman had done to her child.

Sam liked it better when Alexis opened up a bit about herself instead of Sam doing all the talking. She told Sam that until she was Sam's age she lived in Stockholm Sweden with her mother and baby Kristina, and she promised that some day she would take Sam there. She showed Sam a picture of her grandmother, who Sam thought was absolutely beautiful, and even played an old recording that Luke had found for her. Alexis didn't explain how her mother had died, only that she had, and that after that she lived on an island in Greece with Stefan and their father. And despite her own discomfort, she told Sam the basics regarding Stavros, and warned her about Helena. Alexis was worried that Sam's adventurous nature would make a person like Helena seem intriguing, and she wanted, needed, Sam to know she was someone to be leery of.

Her daughter's favorite stories were about Alexis and Jax; she particularly loved the story of crash landing Jax's helicopter in the Sahara and then spending days surviving in the desert until they were rescued by Jax's brother. Jerry was another concern for Alexis. Jax had his adventurous side, but nothing compared to Jerry, and Alexis was worried about his influence on Sam. She was kind of hoping her best friend's brother would steer clear of Port Charles for a long, long time.

It was the first day of Sam's freedom and she, Kristina, Carly, and Nikolas had gone to Kelly's for breakfast. Carly, who had just finished her own sentence a week prier, was just as thrilled as Sam to be out of the house and away from her mother. Carly was slowly accepting the fact that Bobbie was a fixture in her life, and in truth she was finding some comfort in that, but if Tony tried one more time to tell her what to do she was going to go off on him and she knew that would just land her and Bobbie back on square one. Sam was thrilled that Carly and Kristina seemed to hit it off. She knew that she would always be number one in Carly's heart, but her friend needed someone her own age to talk about stupid teenage stuff with. And hopefully if her best friend and aunt became best friends, Kristina would stop trying to take her shopping.

After breakfast the kids headed to the park where they'd run into Lucky and some of his friends. Lucky asked if Sam and Nikolas wanted to play a game of touch football. Sam was all for it but Nikolas was less then receptive to the idea. "Come on Niky! You promised that when I got off punishment we'd do whatever I wanted!"

"Yes, but, Sammie, I don't play…" Nikolas began but was cut off.

"Yeah I know!" Sam said with a huff. "You don't play at all Niky. That's your problem! Dude, seriously, you're freaking twelve! Act like it!" When her response only got a glare from her cousin, Sam decided to turn on the puppy dog look. "Please Niky? I really want to play football with them. Alexis has had be locked up like a bird in cage for like forever! Please?"

Nikolas couldn't resist his cousin's big brown pleading eyes. "Alright, fine, Sammie, we can play."

Sam lit up like a Christmas tree. "I knew you weren't a complete stick in the mud!" She gave her cousin a dazzling smile and then started pulling him towards Lucky and his friends. Then she stopped, turned, and looked him over. "That won't do." She told him as she walked up to him and without a word pulled his sweater vest off, which was rather funny to watch seeing as there was a noticeable size difference. "Take your shirt off."

Eyes just as dark as Sam's went nearly as huge as Sam's as Nikolas looked at the girl in shock. "Excuse me?"

"You can't play football in that shirt, Niky." Sam explained. "You have a t-shirt on under it right? Take off the dress shirt."

The two cousins locked eyes for several seconds but in the end Sam won out and Nikolas unbuttoned his shirt and took it off, which caused Sam to light up and cheer again. She left Nikolas' shirt and sweater vest on the bench where Kristina and Carly were and then drug him off to the slightly muddy; it had rained over night, grassy playing field.

"We're in." Sam announced.

Lucky was in complete shock as he watched his formal and uptight brother being drug by the small dark haired girl he'd recently learned was Nikolas' cousin. He couldn't believe that his brother was standing there in his over priced dark slack shorts and undershirt. He rubbed the back of his neck and smiled awkwardly. Maybe this girl would be good for his brother? "Ok." He said after Emily poked him in the side. "Um, Sam, Nikolas and Emily can be on one team. Me, Sly, and Elizabeth on the other."

"Hi!" Emily said cheerfully as she came to stand with Sam and Nikolas. "I'm Emily."

"Sam." Sam replied with a nod of greeting.

"You're Alexis' daughter?" Emily asked. "I heard my cousin Ned talking about you."

Sam blinked. "Why would your cousin Ned be talking about me?"

Emily smiled sweetly. "Alexis was almost my cousin too. She and Ned nearly got married."

That was news to Sam and it made her eyes widen a little. "What do you mean nearly got married?" Sam didn't like the idea of her mother being with anyone but Jax.

"They were at the alter." Emily explained. "Well, Ned was, Alexis only made it half way down the aisle before she turned around and bolted from the church in her wedding dressing."

Sam's mouth was hanging open. "Why did she run?"

Nikolas and Emily looked at each other and then in unison said, "Jax."

"So she left your cousin at the alter because she was in love with Jax?" Sam asked, with a slight sigh of relief.

Emily nodded. "It was kind of mean to Ned, but totally romantic. Alexis and Jax are totally meant to be."

Sam shook her head as she let the new information settle in her mind. "My mother's life is a soap opera."

Nikolas politely hid a chuckle while Emily laughed. "Are you guys ready?" Lucky called out.

"Yeah!" Sam yelled back. He tossed her the ball to go first, because according to him it was only fair since they had two girls and one boy and his team had two boys and one girl, that of course made Sam determined to show him what a girl could do.

They played for about ten minutes before the first of them ended up sliding across the wet and muddy grass. To Sam's delight it had been her. To Nikolas' horror it had been her.

"Samantha!" Nikolas called out when he saw his cousin belly slide across the grass clutching the football to her chest. "Are you alright?"

Sam was laughing so hard she couldn't get up. "I'm fine!" When she finally did it was more then evident that her shirt was ruined. She could also feel the telltale signs of a bruise forming from hitting the ground while holding the ball, but she didn't care.

"Samantha, your shirt!" Nikolas protested.

"It's fine, Nikolas." Sam said, still laughing, and shaking her head. "Getting dirty is part of the fun, Niky, loosen up." Then she walked off. "Our point!"

The next time Sam's team had the ball Sam threw a pass to Nikolas who was running backwards to catch it. He jumped up, caught it, landed and slipped. He ended up flat on his back in the mud. Sam ran over to him to see if he'd have some kind of spasm, and for a moment it seemed he might, but then he jumped up. "Goal!"

"Touchdown." Sam laughed and put her arm around her cousin's shoulder.

Back at the bench Kristina and Carly had been chatting. They'd talked about Sam and how she was fairing, and Kristina asked how Carly was doing. They talked about finding themselves in new homes with a new parent. Then they shifted to talking about the up coming school year and how they were both scared and nervous. The conversation was easy between them and shifted back and forth seamlessly. "What's a Nurses' Ball?" Carly asked.

"It's this huge benefit that the hospital does every year." Kristina explained. "Its some kind of variety show. Jax and Stefan have both bought tables and Jax is trying to convince Alexis to be in it."

"I heard Bobbie talking to someone on the phone." Carly said. "I guess she's in it every year but she hasn't come up with an idea yet and the lady on the phone was getting loud."

"So you're going?" Kristina asked.

Carly shrugged.

"Oh!" Kristina said in delight. "We have to go shopping! It's a formal thing, guys in tuxes and girls in evening gowns."

Carly frowned. "Doesn't sound like my thing."

"Alexis says it's a lot of fun." Kristina encouraged.

The girls continued to talk while stealing glances at the kids playing not to far from them. When Kristina noticed Nikolas and Sam looking a little flushed from playing so hard she went to get the kids some drinks, leaving Carly sitting on the bench alone. She was sitting there with a smile as she watched Sam playing. The girl was caked with mud and grass and Carly had a feeling Alexis wasn't going to be thrilled, but at least Sam was having a blast.

"Hello."

Carly looked up to see AJ standing there. She hadn't seen him since that night at Jake's. "Hi."

"Haven't seen you around lately." AJ said as he came closer.

Carly stood up. She didn't like when people looked down at her for any reason. "Yeah, Bobbie kind of went parental on me."

AJ smiled. "I was kind of hoping you'd come back to Jake's and we could talk some more. I really liked talking to you."

"Bobbie found my id." Carly replied. "She hasn't really let me out of her sight."

"You free now?" AJ asked. "We could go for a walk or something."

Carly shook her head. "I'm here with Sam."

AJ looked out to where the younger kids were playing. "Looks like she's busy." He moved closer to Carly and reached out as if to pull her close for a kiss.

The smell of vodka and her sudden unease made Carly step back.

"Is there a problem?" Alexis asked as she came up on the two teenagers. She'd seen Carly tense up and move away from AJ as she approached and was all to ready to step in.

AJ shook his head and smiled at Carly. "Well, at least it wasn't your mom this time."

Carly gave him an uneasy smile in return and then looked at Alexis who stepped up behind her.

"Hello AJ." Alexis greeted.

AJ nodded. "Alexis. Good to see you again."

Alexis didn't bother being polite. "In case you missed it, AJ, you were making Carly uncomfortable. I think you should move on."

"I didn't mean too." AJ said as he held up his hands and tried for a disarming smile. "I simply wanted to apologize to Carly for a misunderstanding that took place the last time I saw her."

"Yes, I agree, you should apologize for getting a fifteen year old drunk." Alexis agreed. "You should also be grateful that Bobbie didn't go to the police."

"It was stupid." AJ said. "I just wanted Carly to know I was sorry for my behavior and that it won't happen again."

Yeah, like Alexis believed that. "Well you've told her. Now if you'd excuse us? She's spending the day with me and my kids."

Carly watched as AJ nodded and bid them goodbye. She relaxed when he was gone and then turned to look at Alexis. "I could have handled that myself."

Alexis smiled at the girl. "I know you could have, but I was here so I did it for you, I tend to do things like that. I'm a bit of a control freak. Or at least that's what my girls keep tell me." She sat on the bench and pulled Carly down to sit beside her. "Carly, I know you get enough of being told what to do with Bobbie so I'm just going to offer advice from someone who's personally familiar with the Quartermains. AJ is almost eighteen and bad news. The boy has some serious issues and some serious adult problems. It would be better if you didn't get mixed up with him."

"I'm not mixed up with him." Carly protested. "I've run into him a couple of times, that's all."

"And one of those times ended with you getting drunk." Alexis reminded the girl. "Just take it from someone who's been around AJ, it's best not to be around him. Now Jason, he's a different story. He's very sweet, nice, kind, and funny, and closer to your age."

Carly smirked. "Are you trying to set me up, Alexis?"

Alexis laughed. "Heavens no! Personally I think little girls should be little girls forever. I'm just letting you know the facts as someone who's been around this town for awhile."

"Thanks." Carly said but being a teenager had to add, "But I got this."

"Ok." Alexis said with a knowing smirk.

"Hey Alexis!" Kristina greeted as she came back with drinks. "I thought you would be in the office until later?"

Alexis smiled at her sister. "I finished off early and thought I'd come see what you guys were up too. Where are Sam and Nikolas?"

Kristina bit her lip as she and Carly, who was nervously tucking her hair behind her ears, exchanged a look just as the aforementioned children came running into view. Sam was caked in mud and Nikolas was covered but not nearly as bad as Sam.

"Oh dear lord!" Alexis exclaimed when she saw her daughter and nephew.

"Hi Alexis!" Sam said brightly as she darted towards her mother.

"Samantha!" Alexis warned as the girl came towards her. She held out her hands as if to stop the stampeding ten-year-old. "Don't you dare, Samantha!"

Sam stopped just short of her mother and laughed hysterically at the look on the woman's face.

"What on earth where you two doing?" Alexis asked with a chuckle in her voice.

Nikolas was a little nervous that his aunt would scold him but her voice was merry and her eyes bright as she looked them over, so he smiled and proudly declared. "We were playing football, Aunt Alexis, and we won!"

"Yeah!" Sam cheered. "Who knew Niky had talent! And Emily too!"

"Hello Alexis." Emily said with a soft smile as she came up behind her friends. She was nearly as messy as Nikolas. Glancing over to the other children the only one who didn't seem as if they'd wallowed in the mud was Elizabeth Webber.

Alexis looked delighted. "You played football Nikolas?"

Nikolas nodded. "It was quiet enjoyable, Aunt."

Sam groaned. "Niky! Really? Dude, repeat after me, it was fun!"

The boy blinked. "That is what I said, Sammie."

Sam just threw her hands up and then looked at her mother. "Mrs. Spencer offered to take us back to Kelly's and hose us off and she offered to buy us all ice cream. Can we go?"

"May we go?" Alexis corrected. "And that sounds like fun. I haven't had lunch yet so I think we'll all tag along."

From inside Kelly's Alexis watched and laughed as Laura used a garden hose to spray the kids down. Once they were as clean as they were going to get she set them up at a table in the sun while Ruby handed out dishes with a warm brownie and a scoop of homemade ice cream. She had a huge grin on her face when Laura came inside.

"I don't know how your little girl managed to do it, Alexis." Laura said. "But I'm glad she did. You have no idea how good it felt to see Nikolas acting like a happy normal twelve year old boy."

"Believe me Laura, I understand." Alexis replied. "It's the same way I feel watching Sam."

When they got back to Alexis' penthouse Alexis sent Sam and Nikolas off to the showers to get cleaned up while she threw Nikolas' clothes in the wash. Her nephew wasn't thrilled with wearing girl's sweats but he had little choice in the matter. The rest of the afternoon and evening had been spent on the couch watching movies. Alexis had even let the kids have dinner on the couch. She knew she'd hear about this from her brother but she didn't care. Alexis knew that Nikolas could handle being both a boy and the prince, and that it was better for him that way. When she took him back to Windermere he was just as prim and proper as when she'd picked him up.

"I had a very enjoyable time today, Aunt Alexis." The boy said in his formal way. "Thank you."

Alexis smiled and kissed the top of his head. "I'm glad my little prince, and I promise we'll have another soon."

"Bobbie?" Carly said as she came into the living room. Bobbie was sitting on the couch looking a little frustrated. "Everything ok?"

Bobbie smiled at the girl. They'd butted headed a couple of times over the last month but for the most part she and Carly had made some progress. Bobbie had sat down with the girl and laid out how things were going to work, and she made it very clear that she wasn't going anywhere, and that Carly couldn't and wouldn't push her away no matter how hard she tried. "Everything's fine."

"You kinda pissy." Carly said as she sat in the chair near the couch and tucked her legs under her.

Bobbie laughed. "That's my normal look when it comes to Lucy Coe."

"Is that the loud woman who was on the phone this morning?" Carly asked.

"Yes." Bobbie replied. "She and Amy have been calling me all day. Apparently Edward isn't sure he'll be up to performing this year which leaves two open spots in the program."

"The Nurses' Ball?" Carly asked. After Bobbie nodded she said, "Kristina told me about that. She says it sounds like fun."

Bobbie smiled brightly. "It is, you're going to love it."

Carly looked a little surprised. "I'm going?"

"Of course you are honey!" Bobbie replied. "You'll be at the Spencer table with the rest of your family."

That kind of made Carly smile, until she saw Bobbie's expression change and then she looked a little worried. "What?"

"You and Sam should do something." Bobbie said brightly. "I've heard you in the shower. You've a lovely voice. It would be a lot of fun."

Carly blinked with her mouth slightly agape. "Are you serious? No one in town even knows us. They're not going to what to see a couple of strange kids."

"If they don't know you they know of you." Bobbie corrected. "And it would be the perfect night for everyone to finally meet my daughter."

Carly snorted. "You say that like it's something to be proud of."

"It is." Bobbie replied sincerely.

"Oh." Carly said as she blinked in surprise.

Bobbie got up and kissed the top of Carly's head. "Think about it. Talk it over with Sam. Let me know and I'll let Lucy know she has her missing act."


	17. Chapter 17

Late summer storms had settled over Port Charles. During the day Sam was fine with watching the rain and listening to the rumbling thunder, but at night it freaked her out. The storm had come up suddenly in the middle of the night and a rather strong clap of thunder shook the walls, causing Sam to bolt from her sleep. A flash of lightening lit up the room, casting an eerie light over everything, and causing Sam's breathing and heart rate to pick up. It took several seconds for the girl to realize where she was, and to calm down enough to fight the urge to bolt from the room. She looked over at her sleeping aunt just as another rumble of thunder shook the room, causing her to whimper.

Sam was feeling scared and hated feeling scared. She sat up and curled herself into a tight ball against her headboard. Another round of lightening and thunder caused her to yelp as her body jerked from the surprise of it. She looked over at Kristina again and for a second thought about crawling into bed with her. Then she realized that it wasn't Kristina she wanted comfort from. Slipping out of bed Sam tiptoed out of her bedroom and quietly made her way down the hall to her mother's room. The door was closed and Sam just stood there in front of it for a long time. She didn't like being scared, she was uncomfortable with this new draw towards Alexis, and she was afraid that Alexis would reject her somehow.

It was another really loud clap of thunder that finally drove Sam to turn the doorknob and carefully push the door open. She crept inside and after her eyes adjusted to the light level she saw Alexis asleep in her bed. Sam tiptoed over to the large bed, her bean plush turtle tucked in a death grip under her arm, and very carefully climbed into her mother's bed. She laid perfectly still on her back looking up at ceiling, and was already starting to feel a little better, but then another flash of lightening and roar of thunder made her jump and yelp.

"Sam?" Alexis' sleepy voice whispered.

Sam flinched at the sudden sound of her mother's voice in the stillness of her darken bedroom. "Sorry." She whispered as she moved to get out of the bed.

Alexis reached over before Sam could get up and pulled her close. Her eyes widened in the dark as she felt the girl's whole body tremble. "It's ok baby." She said soothingly as she cuddled Sam close. "Thunderstorms use to scare me too when I was little, and I use to climb into bed and snuggle with my Mama too."

Sam let Alexis wrap her arm around her and slowly began to relax as she snuggled into the woman. It kind of shocked Sam, the way she fit so perfectly into her mother's embrace. It was as if Alexis was the perfect place for Sam to tuck herself away and hide from the scary things in the world. She flinched a few times as the storm raged on, but she slowly accepted Alexis' comfort and was soon fast asleep.

Alexis held her baby girl as she slept. She couldn't keep the smile off her face or the tears from her eyes as she held her little one close. It was still so amazing to her to think that her life had taken this turn. She was holding her baby in her arms again. It felt so wonderful, so right, and she knew that this tiny little dark haired girl owned her heart completely. Leaning down Alexis placed a careful kiss on Sam's temple and then settled in to go back to sleep herself.

They were both so soundly sleeping that neither of them heard Jax come in, nor did they notice the flash from the camera. He didn't even mind being displaced from Alexis' bed because the looks on his girls' faces as they slept snuggled together was the most amazing thing he'd ever seen. If Alexis had ever wanted to repay him for finding her family, seeing them like this was payment in full.

When Alexis woke up she smiled and watched Sam sleep. She didn't want to wake her little girl, so she just laid there until she felt Sam start to stir. Her smile brightened when those beautiful brown eyes fluttered open. "Good morning my love."

Sam looked confused for a moment before the night before came back to her, then she looked embarrassed and blushed. "Good morning."

The blush made Alexis reach out and caress her daughter's face. "It's alright baby. You can come sleep with me whenever you want. It's ok to want to snuggle up with your mama. There's no reason to be embarrassed."

"I shouldn't be scared of storms." Sam said softly. She snuggled close to Alexis and reached up to play with a strand of her mother's hair. "I'm to big for that."

"Even grown ups have fears, Sammie." Alexis reassured. "There's nothing wrong with that. Fear can sometimes be a good thing."

Sam narrowed her eyes as she looked up into her mother's matching eyes. "How is being scared of a storm a good thing?"

"It led to us snuggling." Alexis said with a bright smile. "It broke a burrier between us."

Sam looked down. "I'm sorry."

Alexis lifted her daughter's chin up. "There's no need to be sorry baby. We're working this out in our own time."

Sam nodded her agreement and the snuggled closer to her mother. She rested her head on Alexis' chest and listened to the sound of her heartbeat as she took in her scent. Alexis had been hugging her, kissing her, and just generally making sure there was physical contact between the two of them. Sam had been a little standoffish; she'd let Alexis offer contact but never returned it until now. She really liked this cuddling thing. Sam was completely content to just stay in this moment. Which is why she gave her aunt one hell of a glare when she knocked and opened the bedroom door.

"Are you two getting up anytime soon?" Kristina said with a bright smile. "If you're not I'm eating breakfast without you."

Alexis hugged her daughter as she said, "We're getting up." She placed a kiss on Sam's head before telling her, "We need to eat baby. We're meeting Bobbie and Carly at rehearsal."

Sam would have protested but the thought of going in to rehearse their number for the Nurses' Ball had triggered her excitement. When Carly told her that Bobbie thought they should do something, Sam was leery. She'd been taught to lay low, to not draw attention to herself, performing in front of a room full of strangers went against her nature. Dr. Baldwin said that that wasn't really her nature but a learned behavior. She'd said it might help Sam discover her true nature to try new things like this. Sam agreed to do it but only if Alexis did it with her. It took a lot of persuasion from her, Jax, and Kristina, even Carly and Bobbie, but Alexis finally caved in.

"Ok." Sam replied. She smiled when Alexis gave her a squeeze before finally letting her go. She climbed out of her mother's bed and left the room.

Kristina was grinning. "I wondered where she was when I woke up."

"The storm scared her." Alexis told her sister as she got up and grabbed her robe. "She crawled into be with me around one."

"You two looked so happy." Kristina said brightly. "Even Jax didn't have the heart to disturb you."

"Jax was here?" Alexis asked.

Kristina nodded. "He said he'd call you later. He got a phone call and had to go deal with something unexpected."

Alexis smiled as she wondered what his was up too. "I'm going to grab a shower before you two brats suck up all the hot water. Make sure Sam eats more then Vegemite and toast."

"Sure thing." Kristina said with a laugh.

She couldn't believe she was doing this. Alexis had never thought about doing a number for the Nurses' Ball before, she'd never wanted too. She was more then content sitting at the Cassadine table watching the acts and making a private donation. How on earth had Sam talked her into this? She wasn't a singer; she hadn't inherited that gene from her mother, not like Kristina had, and now apparently Sam had. She was on the clumsy side so she wasn't much of a dancer, though she did have to suffer through dance lessons as a child. Alexis sighed. She didn't think knowing the Russian waltz was going to help her this time. There was no way anyone could doubt, after this, that Alexis Davis would do absolutely anything for her daughter.

"You're doing great Alexis." Bobbie encouraged after the rehearsal was over. "And you two girls are amazing!"

That Alexis could agree with. "You two are naturals."

"It's fun." Carly said with a smile after downing half a bottle of water. "I've never done anything like this before."

Bobbie put her arm around Carly and smiled. "You're picking up the steps quickly and you have such a lovely voice. You and Sam are going to steal the whole show."

Sam beamed at that. "I think it's going to be great. I won't even complain about having to wear a dress."

Bobbie chuckled at that.

Alexis laughed as she pulled Sam close to her side, then she groaned. "I'm going to be sore for the rest of life."

Jax had left her a message to meet him at the Grill at the Port Charles hotel for lunch and to bring Sam and Kristina, so she and Sam headed back to the penthouse to shower, change, and grab Krissy. When they arrived at the Grill she spotted Jax with ease, and so did Sam. The girl ran to him, more then ready to tell him all about their morning.

"Hey Sammie!" Jax greeted as he scooped the little girl up into his arms. "How'd it go today?"

"Alexis didn't fall at all, not even once!" Sam reported proudly. "And she only stepped on my feet twice!"

Jax laughed. "She's learning!"

Sam nodded and giggled, while her mother rolled her eyes and groaned.

"Oh Jax!" Came a sudden voice from behind Alexis and Kristina. "She's absolutely adorable!"

Alexis' smile brightened as she turned to see an older couple joining them. "John, Lady Jane!" She greeted her former and still beloved in-laws.

Lady Jane hugged Alexis tightly. "Hello my darling."

"It's good to see you again Alexis." John Jacks beamed as he hugged her as well.

"We've come to meet your angels." Jane told her as she let the younger woman go.

Sam was a little tense as she watched these strangers with her mother. The lady kept smiling at her and for the oddest reason she wanted to smile back. Alexis had slowly started introducing her to people, but Sam was leery of all of them at first. The only person she'd been at ease with instantly had been Mrs. Quartermain. Alexis had taken her over to meet the elderly woman, and they'd had tea together in her rose garden. Lila had been sweet and made Sam feel comfortable and welcome.

"Yes." John agreed. "Jax has told us all about them and we couldn't wait to come and meet them."

"Alexis?" Sam said uneasily from Jax's arms.

Alexis walked over and put her hand on Sam's back. "It's alright baby. These are Jax's parents. John and Lady Jane Jacks, this is my daughter Samantha, and the grinning redhead is my sister Kristina."

Jax set Sam on her feet as his parents came over.

"You're Jax's parents?" Sam asked, a little wide eyed.

"That we are young one." John said with a bright smile.

"It's a pleasure to meet you both." Kristina said as she was greeted with hugs.

"Aren't you simply stunning." Jane said, as she looked Kristina over. Then she looked at Sam and gushed. "Oh Alexis, darling, she looks just like you! Look at those eyes!" She smiled at Sam. "You my dear are simply beautiful. It's a pleasure to meet you, both of you. Jax has spoken so fondly of you and we simply had to come and see for ourselves the two angels who've made our darling Alexis so happy."

"It's nice to meet you too." Sam said as she tried to figure these people out. They were really perky, really happy, and in a way reminded her of Jax.

"So who's ready for lunch?" Jax asked with a bright smile. He knew how easily overwhelmed Sam could get so he wanted to let things calm down a bit; by things he meant his parents. He shared a look with Alexis that said his parents just kind of showed up, which of course was their habit. Alexis gave him a smile that let him know that having them there meant a lot to her.

The six of them settled in at their table and spent their whole lunch talking and catching up. It was no secret that John and Lady Jane adored Alexis and thought she was the perfect woman for their youngest son. Watching her with Sam only endeared her more to them, because now they were positively sure she was the perfect woman to be the mother of their grandchildren. They also fell instantly in love with Sam and found Kristina as delightful as her sister.

After lunch was finished John asked, "Who's ready for presents?"

"John." Alexis said with a loving smile and gentle shake of her head. "You two didn't have to…"

"Of course we did!" Jane cut in. She took Alexis' hand in her own and squeezed it. "Despite everything that happened in the past you're still a Jacks and that precious child is as much our granddaughter as you are our daughter, which also makes you're sister family as well."

"That's settled then." John said as he stood and held out his hand to Sam. "Come on Sammie-girl. Lets go see how many trinkets it takes before your Mum starts fussing at us."

Sam looked first at Jax and then to Alexis who gave her a slight nod. Sam smiled as she took the older man's hand. "Did you really teach Jax about boats?" She asked as the little group moved their fun to the Jacks' suite.

"I did." John answered. "He tells me you have quite the interest in all things nautical."

Sam gave him a bright smile and a nod. "Stefan, he's Alexis' creepy brother, promised to teach me to sail, and Jax takes me out on his boat all the time."

"I suppose you're a bit of a swimmer as well?" John asked.

"I love to swim!" Sam answered excitedly. "The water makes Alexis nervous, but I love it."

John beamed at the girl. "Then you just have to come and stay with me and Lady Jane. You'll simply love Australia. It's a giant island with lots of beautiful places to swim and sail."

Sam smiled. "Jax already promised. Alexis said maybe over winter break because it'll be warm there while it's cold and snowing here."

It was like Christmas in July for everyone. Sam hadn't been the only one to get gifts; John and Jane had brought gifts for Alexis and Kristina as well. Sam, despite liking John and Jane, was feeling very overwhelmed but managed to make it through the afternoon with Alexis' constant reassurances. Sam simply wasn't use to people caring and being kind. She had figured that Alexis and Kristina had taken her in so easily because they had too, she was Alexis' daughter, but these people had no reason to treat her so well. Sure Jax was with Alexis, and ok he adored her, but why these people? Sam was very slowly starting to realize that people weren't the way Cody had told her they were.

After rehearsal Bobbie and Carly made their way to Kelly's for lunch. They were sitting at a table talking about how things had gone in rehearsal. As they ate and their conversation shifted to other topics, the ease of the conversation stayed. They were actually laughing and having a good time together. There was less of a wall between them now, but there was still a barrier. Bobbie knew it would take a little more time, but they were on the right path to rebuilding their relationship.

"Are you serious?" Carly asked before popping a French fry into her mouth.

Bobbie nodded and laughed as she wiped her mouth on a napkin. "I'm serious. Monica and I had been fighting for weeks and I was getting tired of it, and I missed my best friend, so I went over to see her and we ended up in her kitchen. I was trying to fix things between us, she was being stubborn, we ended up in a fight and the next thing I know she's flinging banana cream pie at me." Bobbie paused to laugh at the memory. "I flicked a fork full at her and the next thing I know we're in an all out food fight."

Carly was laughing so hard it hurt. She'd meet Monica and the image of her and her mother covered in pie was just unbelievable. When she could breathe again she asked, "Did you two make up?"

"Yes, we did." Bobbie said with a smile. "We forgave each other and ended up stronger for it. Then we spent a month avoiding Cook at all costs."

"Cook?" Carly asked.

"The Quartermain's cook." Bobbie explained. "She's very, um, well, intimidating."

"You're scared of her?" Carly asked with a slight bit of shock.

Bobbie laughed. "Everyone's scared of her." The redhead shook her head and then pointed a fry at her daughter. "You'll see, you'll meet her soon enough."

"I will?" Carly asked, her blue eyes a little wide.

"Of course you will." Bobbie replied. "I have dinner with them at least once a month. You'll adore Lila."

Carly suddenly because uncomfortable at the thought of having dinner with the Quartermain's if that meant being near AJ. A small part of her was drawn to him; it was the part that always landed her in really hot water. A bigger part of her wanted to take Alexis' advice and steer clear of him. The rest of her just wasn't sure.

"Carly?" Bobbie asked with a frown when she noticed her daughter's sudden shift. "What is it?"

The girl tucked her hair behind her ears as she looked down at the table. She was quiet for a moment and then said, "It's nothing. I'm fine."

"No, something about what I said bothered you." Bobbie said as she reached across the table and titled Carly's head up. "What was it?"

"It's nothing." Carly lied. "I just, I don't know, I just don't want to embarrass you or anything. Those people mean something to you and I don't want them to think less of you because of me."

Bobbie knew that it was more then that but she decided that this issue needed addressed right now. "Carly, look at me." She waited until she and the teen were eye to eye. "Nothing about you could ever be an embarrassment to me. People around here know that I came from nothing, that I had a difficult childhood and adolescence, and some, like Monica, know some of the finer details." She reached out and put her hand over the one Carly had on the table. "Sweetheart, no one in this town has the right to judge anyone else, though unfortunately many do. But honey, you can't let that get to you, what they think of me doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is what we think of each other, and I happen to think you're amazing."

That got a little crooked smile from Carly. "I kinda think you're ok too."

After they left Kelly's Bobbie decided to push a little more. "What else bothers you about having dinner at the Quartermains?"

"What?" Carly asked as she looked over at Bobbie as they walked to the car.

Bobbie gave her a reassuring look before repeating, "What else bothers you about the Quartermains?" She paused a moment. She'd had time to think since Carly first reacted and she thought she might have an idea. "Is it AJ?"

Carly narrowed her eyes as she demanded, "Did Alexis tell you about him?"

That got a frown from Bobbie. "No, Alexis hasn't mentioned him to me. What happened?"

"Oh." Carly said, suddenly feeling guilty over the mean thoughts she was having about Alexis. Then she was kind of impressed that Alexis hadn't told, maybe she could trust the other woman if she ever needed to talk to someone?

"Carly." Bobbie said gently but firmly. "What happened with AJ?"

Carly sighed. "He showed up at the park that day I spent with Sam. He was kind of making me feel uncomfortable and Alexis chased him off."

It was Bobbie's turn to sigh. "He's such a troubled young man. Carly, I think it would be best if you stayed away from him."

"Alexis said the same thing." Carly informed her mother.

"I know there's a part of you that wants to ignore what we're saying because you're fifteen and ignoring good advice is hardwired into your brain." Bobbie began, and then smirked at the eye roll she got from Carly. "But, I want you to pay attention to your own instincts. You're feeling uncomfortable around him for a reason."

"I guess." Carly replied.

Bobbie took Carly's hand and squeezed it. "If he comes near you again I want you to tell me, ok?"

Carly shrugged. "Sure, ok."

"Today was a really good day." Bobbie told her. "Thank you for talking to me."

Carly gave her mother a smile. She'd kind of liked talking to Bobbie. It had felt good, natural, and a part of her knew she could trust Bobbie. It was really nice to know she had someone if she needed her.


	18. Chapter 18

Never in all her fifteen years had Carly ever been to something like the Nurses' Ball. It was like something out of Hollywood with everyone dressed in tuxedos and expensive evening gowns. Bobbie had spent all day reassuring her which made her feel better about being there, but now, standing in the back of the room watching these people who she simply didn't feel she belonged around, she felt even worse. She had been excited about this evening. Dress shopping, rehearsal, her very first trip to a spa, it had all been wonderful. But now her excitement was being smothered by her discomfort. The only reasons she hadn't bolted were her mother, Sam, and Kristina.

"You look like you might be sick." Kristina said to her friend as they people watched.

"I feel so out of place." Carly admitted with a soft sigh.

The redhead smiled and squeezed her friend's hand. "I know the feeling, but don't worry, we'll make ourselves fit in."

Carly grinned at the girl beside her. "How are we going to do that?"

"By looking fabulous and having a great time." Kristina said with a huge smile on her face as she drug her friend into the swarm of mingling people. She'd been in town longer then Carly and knew a few more people then she did so she was more comfortable, but she still felt a little odd. Everyone knew who she was, that she was a Cassadine, and that brought with it a kind of expectation that Kristina wasn't use to.

Bobbie watched Carly carefully as the girl skirted the edges of the room. She could see the girl's discomfort and started questioning whither this had been a good idea. Maybe she'd pushed Carly into something she wasn't ready for. Maybe she should have made more of an effort of helping Carly become more comfortable with the circle of people she associated with. Bobbie sighed, then relaxed a little as Kristina got her daughter to smile and then pulled her into the crowd. She was grateful that Carly had someone she could hang out with and talk to that was her own age. She had a feeling Kristina would make a lot of the adjustments Carly was facing easier.

"It takes time to get use to these kinds of things." Monica told her friend as she watched the other woman watching her daughter.

"I know." Bobbie replied as she glanced at Monica before returning her gaze to Carly. "I remember."

Monica smiled. Bobbie was acting like a new mother and it was cute. "The night's still young. She'll relax and have a good time, trust me."

"Who's that?" Carly asked as she and Kristina neared the Cassadine table. "The guy talking to Alexis?"

"Oh, that's Zander." Kristina answered after looking over to where her sister was sitting. "He was one of Alexis' clients and she kind of took a shine to him. He even stayed with her for a little while."

Carly looked the teenage boy over before saying, "He's kind of cute."

Kristina chuckled as she nodded her head. "You think he's cute? Check him out."

Carly looked in the direction Kristina had pointed out and saw a tall dark haired teenager with a really cute smile. "Who is he?"

"Jagger Cates." Kristina said with a little flutter in her voice. "He's a boxer. He works out at this gym down by the harbor, near the Paradise Lounge."

That slight flux in her friend's voice made Carly grin. "You like him." Then she blinked and stared at her friend. "How would you know what gym he works out at? Ohhh! Doesn't Alexis know you're down in that part of town?" Carly giggled. "I don't think she'd be to thrilled."

"I do not like him." Kristina protested. "I just said he was cute. Besides, from what I've heard he already has two girls looking to get his attention." Then she huffed at her friend. "I happen to enjoy boxing and was looking for a place that officered classes."

Carly snickered. "Sure, yeah, ok." She couldn't keep the grin off her face as she added, "So what if he does have two girls after him?" The lights flashed to let everyone know it was time to go back to their seats. "They don't have anything on you. You're like a freaking princess or something. Who can compete with that?"

Kristina laughed as they headed back towards their families' tables. "I don't really think that would matter to a guy like Jagger."

Sam was having fun. She was sitting at the Cassadine table, which was sandwiched between the Jacks and the Spencers. She thought the acts so far were really good and dinner hadn't been too bad either. Mr. Dr. Quartermain was really good, Lucky and Sly had been funny, but her favorite had been Ned Ashton as Eddie Maine, simply because she'd found out about Eddie's Angel. It delighted her to no end to think of her prim and proper mother being a rock star's sweetheart. The whole time Ned was on stage, Sam would look over at her mother and dissolve into giggles. When the show was less then exciting for a ten-year-old John was close enough to keep her entertained with stories about sea voyages, and the outback. She didn't even mind the dress she was wearing, it was a very pretty dark green and kind of sparkly. She'd gotten to go to the spa with Alexis, Kristina and Lady Jane, which had been fun, even if she laughed like the mad hatter during her pedicure. Then to top it all off Stefan had presented her with a tiny headband like tiara to wear, which made Sam feel really girly for the first time in her life, and to her surprise she kind of liked feeling girly. For Sam the night was like some big game of make-believe or something, and she was enjoying it to it's fullest.

"Hey," Amy said brightly as she came over to the cluster of tables. "Time to get ready ladies. You're number is up soon. You're in dressing room three."

And just like that Sam's nerves kicked in and her stomach hurt. Until now she'd stayed by the tables with the people she knew and was comfortable with. Now the whole town was about to watch her sing and dance out scenes from one of Kristina's favorite movies.

Alexis smiled. "Come on baby." She held out her hand. "Lets go get ready."

Sam took her mother's hand and once they were out of everyone's earshot she said, "I don't think I can do this."

Alexis stopped, turned, and pulled Sam into a hug. "You're just nervous, Sammie. Once you get out there you'll be fine. We made a promise to do this my love, and we need to follow through." She caressed her daughter's cheek and gave her a reassuring smile. "You're going to be wonderful. I'm so proud of all the hard work you've put into this."

Sam smiled brightly at her mother and hugged her. It felt so good to hear that someone was proud of her. Sam was finally getting use to having people other then Carly care about her, though it was still very weird. With a bright smile on her face she let Alexis lead her backstage to their dressing room. She and Carly had the more complicated costumes and would be on stage first, so Bobbie and Alexis helped them get dressed before getting into their own costumes.

"You ready?" Carly asked as she and Sam waited in the wings.

Sam nodded. "I'm glad there's prop buckets. I might throw up."

"Just remember what Bobbie said." Carly replied as she fought off her own desire to hurl. "Ignore everything and everyone off stage. Pick one person out there and focus on them when you're not focused on someone on stage."

Sam nodded again. She'd already decided to focus on Kristina. This whole scene had been her idea and Sam had no doubt her aunt would be mouthing along.

While they waited to be introduced both girls took deep breaths and both girls smiled when they heard their mothers' whisper encouragement and I love yous.

Lucy Coe took the stage and reminded everyone why they were there, informed everyone that some of the high school student were walking around with fish bowls for cash donations, and announced that this year would be a record breaker. Then she introduced the next act. "Miracles happen everyday, sometimes they're little and go unnoticed, and sometimes they're huge and change your life for the better. Children bring both into our lives everyday. Tonight we celebrate two such miracles with their families. Ladies and gentlemen, making their Port Charles social debut, Carly Benson-Spencer and Samantha Davis, who have both recently been reunited with their mothers; Bobbie Spencer-Jones and Alexis Davis. All donations made during this wonderful mothers-daughters act will go to the Children's Research Center, and they will also be met dollar for dollar by Samantha's uncle Stefan Cassadine."

When the curtain lifted Carly, Sam, and some of the Ward House kids were all dressed in rags and had buckets, brushes, mops and brooms as Ruby, playing Ms. Hannigan yelled at them to get to work. The music for 'It's a hard knock life' from Annie started as the kids began to sing and bang around their props. The Ward Kids sang the chorus parts while Sam and Carly shared the solo bits. There was a laugh from the crowd when Carly sang, "No one cares if you grow." While Sam tagged on, "or shrink." because the girls made a point of displaying their height difference. The kids danced, pushed their brooms, and pretended to clean the stage while they sang. The crowd laughed again as Carly and Sam, who'd put a pillow under her shirt, took turns making fun of Ms. Hannigan. As the song began winding down the bigger kids discreetly started moving the props around on the stage, while another set was moved in. While the smaller ones made it seem as if they were pushing Carly and Sam up a set of stairs.

When Carly and Sam were at the to of the stairs the music shifted, it was an Annie medley, which Kristina had worked really hard on getting the timing right for. The adult backup dancers came out then, they moved Carly and Sam to opposite sides of the stair case and swarmed around the girls singing the chorus of 'I think I'm going to like it here' as they helped the girls change their costumes. Once the girls were stripped of their rags they were left in beautiful dresses, their hair done up neatly, and old sneakers replaced by shinny black tap shoes.

As the music shifted again Bobbie and Alexis came on stage from either side and walked to the bottom of the stairs, smiling. Bobbie held a flower while Alexis held a small stuff puppy. Carly and Sam looked at them, looked at each other, smiled and then ran down to their waiting mothers. They sang 'I don't need anything but you.' With Carly and Sam doing Annie's parts while Bobbie and Alexis did Daddy Warbucks' parts.

All four started together and sang, "Together at last." As Bobbie put the flower in Carly's hair, and Alexis offered the puppy. "Together forever." As they sang the line, "We're tying a knot they never can sever." Sam and Alexis hooked pinkies, kissed their own fists, and then pretended to spit as if they were pinky swearing. The crowd loved it and laughed.

Stefan had not liked the idea of members of his family actually performing but as he watched his sister and niece tap dance and sing, the way their eyes sparkled made him smile. Kristina was soaking it all in as she laughed and smiled so wide her face would be sore later. Jax found himself falling even more in love with his best friend and her little girl. Luke and Ruby, who had returned to her seat to watch, beamed with pride.

"Yesterday was plain awful." The girls sang.

"Yesterday was plain awful." The moms repeated.

Then all four sang, "But that's not now, that's than."

When the number finally ended Carly was standing with Bobbie, her mothers arms wrapped around her, while Alexis had picked Sam up and was holding her in her arms. Sam just placed a kiss on her mother's cheek when the whole room exploded in applause and jumped to their feet.

After taking their bows and changing back into their dresses the four made their way back to their tables where they were bombarded with hugs, kisses, and praise.

"Alexis!" Jax said as he hugged her tight. "You were great!"

Alexis blushed hard enough to see it under her already flushed cheeks.

"And you little miss!" Jax said as he beamed at Sam. "Were brilliant!"

"I whole hearted agree." John added. "Such talent!"

Even Stefan offered his praise. "You two were very good."

Nikolas nodded. "You really were. Next year perhaps Cousin Samantha and I could do something."

"I think that would be a great idea." Alexis encouraged.

Bobbie beamed at the pure happiness on her daughter's face. The light and merriment in Carly's blue eyes was a beautiful thing to see, so much better then the uncertainly that was so often there. "You were great, honey!"

Carly smiled. "So were you. You're a natural, Bobbie, you could have been a dancer."

"She wanted to be once upon a time." Luke said with a beaming smile as he hugged his baby sister. Then he smiled at his niece. "Looks like you got a bit of that natural talent yourself, Caroline."

Carly scowled at Luke. No matter how many times she told him not to call her that he did it anyway. But she was in far to good a mood to bicker with him so she let it slide.

Their families hadn't been the only ones to take notice. During another mingling period Zander made his way over to Kristina and Carly. "Hey Krissy. Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?"

Kristina smiled. "Zander Smith; Carly Benson."

"It's nice to meet you Carly." Zander said with his crooked grin.

Carly smiled. "Same here Zander."

Zander continued to smile as he said, "You were really good up there."

"Thanks." Carly replied with a blush.

"It took a lot of guts to get up there and do that." Zander said as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I don't think I could ever do something like that."

Carly laughed. "You have no idea."

"See." Monica teased her friend when she caught Bobbie watching Carly again. "I told you she'd relax and have a good time."

Bobbie was beaming.

As the evening went on Alexis sent Sam home with Ingrid. Thankfully Sam was to exhausted to put up a fight. As Ingrid helped Sam into the backseat of her car and buckled her seatbelt she didn't notice that she and the girl were being watched.


	19. Chapter 19

Alexis was standing at the bottom of the stairs with her arm across her stomach while she pinched the bridge of her nose. She was dressed and ready to head out the door. Her briefcase and Sam's new backpack were sitting against the wall waiting on them, and the coffee in her travel mug was getting cold. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly before yelling up the stairs yet again, "Samantha Davis! Get your behind down here! We're going to be late!"

"No!" Came the girl's refusal.

"Samantha!" Alexis shouted with a small stomp of her high-heeled foot. "It's the first day of school and you're going to be late!"

"I'm not coming down wearing this!" Sam yelled back.

Alexis took another deep breath and let it out slowly again. "Samantha Kristin Davis!"

"NO!" Sam yelled. "I look like an idiot!"

"You do not!" Alexis protested. "You're absolutely adorable!" When there was no reply and no sight of her daughter Alexis called up, "Young lady, you do not want me to come up there! You won't like it if I have to come up there!"

Sam had come to know and understand that tone of voice, and she'd also come to understand that her mother did not make idle threats. She slowly, yet clearly under protest, made her way down the stairs. She stopped when she reached the landing.

Alexis smiled. "Baby, you look wonderful!"

"I look stupid." Sam replied with a deep frown. She had on her new school uniform, a blue plaid jumper dress, white peter-pan collared blouse, and a navy sweater with the school's crest, knee high socks and loafers.

"I think you look cute as a button." Alexis said as she beamed at her little girl. Snatching up her camera she took a picture. "Smile Sammie." She chuckled. When Sam gave her a small smile she took another picture. When Sam came the rest of the way down the stairs she gave her girl a hug and then a swift swat on the bottom. "Now lets go or you're going to be late on your first day."

Sam pouted as she walked over and picked up her backpack. "This is going to be awful."

"You don't know that." Alexis replied as she grabbed her stuff and they headed out the door. "You haven't given it a chance yet, Sam."

"I don't like school." Sam grumbled as they waited on the elevator.

Alexis put her free hand on Sam's shoulder. "This will be different Sam."

"I'm not going to fit in." Sam protested. "I'm not like the kids that go to this school."

"Not all the kids there will be the way you think they are." Alexis tried to reassure.

Sam huffed. "So they're not all rich brats and snobs?"

Alexis shook her head. "No, they're not, the school is a lot more diverse then you think. Plus you won't be alone. Nikolas will be there." That had been a summer long battle but Alexis finally convinced Stefan that Nikolas needed to be more socialized. "And Emily Quartermain."

"But Lucky, Sly, and stupid Elizabeth go to public school." Sam couldn't explain it but she just didn't like Elizabeth Webber and the feeling was mutual. The two girls had spent some time together over the summer because Lucky was their friend, but the girls just didn't click.

"Samantha." Alexis warned. "Don't call people stupid."

Sam mumbled I'm sorry as they reached the bottom and the elevator doors opened. She sulked all the way to the car and the whole ride over to her new school. She tried to listen to Alexis as she reassured her that everything would be fine, and it was helping a little, but then they pulled up to the drop off zone.

Alexis saw that her daughter looked petrified so she pulled over and got out of the car instead of just dropping her off. When Sam got out of the car Alexis pulled her close and hugged her. "Sam, do you trust me?"

The little girl looked up at her mother and nodded. It had taken a lot over work over the few months they'd been together but they had built up a good amount of trust. "Yeah, I do."

That made Alexis' heart sing. To know that Sam trusted her was a gift and she knew it. "Then trust me when I say that you'll be fine. I know it's really scary, but that will fade and before you know it you'll be enjoying yourself.

Sam looked at Alexis with some doubt in her dark eyes. "Enjoy school?"

Alexis chuckled. "Yes, believe it or not my little princess school can be very enjoyable." She leaned down and kissed the top of Sam's head and gave her a squeeze. "Remember, today's not a full day. Lady Jane will be here to pick you up. She wants to take you out for a late lunch."

That got the first smile of the day from Sam. "Ok."

"I'll see you at home." Alexis told her girl. "I love you. Have a good day sweetheart."

"Carly!" Bobbie yelled up the stairs as she bounced Lucas. "Kristina's here!"

Carly came down the stairs dressed in jeans and a t-shirt with her backpack over one shoulder. She hadn't gotten much sleep last night, she'd been busy thinking about how badly this day could go, but now that she was this close to actually going through the day she was feeling excited about it. She chuckled when she saw Kristina dressed in slacks and a fitted blouse. "You let Alexis dress you didn't you?"

Kristina smiled as she gave her friend a little shrug. "It's not so bad. I got off lucky because she spent all morning fighting with Sam over her uniform. I figured I dodged a bullet on the whole private school thing so the least I could do was wear something she approved of."

Bobbie watched the girls while Carly grabbed her sweatshirt. "Have a good day girls." She kissed the side of Carly's head. "Stop by the hospital later. I'd love to hear all about your first day."

"Ok." Carly replied and then left with Kristina. "What's that?"

"A car." Kristina said as she and Carly looked at the black sedan.

"With a driver?" Carly asked as they continued to stare at it.

"Stefan sent it." Kristina said as the driver opened the back door and she got in.

Carly just shook her head as she followed. "How is this going to make us look?"

Kristina laughed. "It'll be fine."

When they got to the high school they were sent to the cafeteria to get their schedules and locker assignments. Since Kristina was a grade ahead of Carly they didn't have many classes together, but they lucked out with art, Greek, and lunch. "You're taking Greek?"

Carly nodded. "Sam said that Alexis was making her take it so I figured it was something we could do together."

"That's so sweet." Kristina said with a smile. "It was her idea for me too. Apparently Cassadines speak Greek and Russian as fluently as English."

For some reason Carly found it funny when Kristina rolled her eyes. The bubbly redhead just didn't seem like the attitude type of teen. After getting their schedules, campus map, and checking out their lockers the girls broke apart to head off to their classes. Carly felt like the new girl in town and she was trying really hard not to let it make her feel defensive.

"Hey."

Carly looked up and smiled at the boy who'd spoken to her. He looked totally different then he had at the Nurses' Ball. He was in old jeans, a t-shirt, a stripped button down, and ratty old sneakers. His dark hair wasn't slicked back, but looked soft and kind of dangled in his eyes. The sight of him made Carly smile. "Hi Zander."

The boy sat in the desk beside her. "Maybe this class won't be so bad after all."

"You're in this class?" Carly asked in surprise.

Zander gave her a crooked half smile. "School wasn't always my thing so I'm playing catch up."

"What other classes do you have?" Carly asked with a warm smile of her own.

Zander ended up in two more of her classes and suddenly Carly wasn't feeling so apprehensive about this whole high school thing. Kristina was great and Carly liked her a lot, but they were coming from two totally different places. Zander was more like Carly, they'd both come from someplace hard and harsh, or at least that was the vibe she was getting from him.

At lunch the three teens sat together and scoped out their new environment. Since Zander had been around the longest he pointed out the who's who of PC High. Brenda Barrett, who Carly thought looked like a snobby bitch even from across the room. Karen Wexler, who caused Kristina to make a sour face. Jagger Cates, who Carly knew Kristina, was crushing on. Sarah Webber, Cruz Rodriguez, who made Zander make a sour face, and Jason Quartermain who made both girls go all doe eyed. Although Carly thought he looked like a total preppy and nothing like his brother who had an edge to him.

After school Carly had Kristina drop her off at the hospital so she could see Bobbie. Her mother smiled at her as she stepped off the elevator, which made Carly smile in return. It was kind of strange to have anyone but Sam look happy to actually see her, and it made Carly feel good to know that Bobbie looked forward to spending time with her.

"Perfect timing." Bobbie said as she finished signing out for lunch. "I just started my break. I can't wait to hear all about your first day."

"It was ok." Carly admitted as they walked down the hall together. "Kristina and I have a couple of classes together, Zander's in a couple too, and I don't think I'm as far behind as I thought I would be."

Bobbie was smiling, even though she was honestly a little leery of Zander Smith, he didn't have the best past but then again who was she to judge someone's past? "If you need help in anything honey, just let me know, ok?"

Carly nodded. As they settled into a table in the cafeteria so Bobbie could eat Carly told her all about her day.

Down on the docks Alexis was making her way towards the hotel to meet Jane and Sam. She paused a moment to drop her glasses and cell phone in her bag. When she looked up again she nearly jumped out of her skin. Alexis' heart stopped for a second before it started pumping boiling blood through her suddenly cold body.

"Hello my little mouse." Helena said brightly as she took several steps closer to her stepdaughter.

Alexis' hands clinched into fists. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Now, now, my little mouse." Helena scolded. "Is that any way to greet your stepmother?"

This wasn't good, not good at all. Alexis didn't like it one single bit that Helena was back in town. She didn't like the murderess bitch being this close to her daughter and her sister. Why hadn't Stefan warned her? Didn't he have Helena's movements tracked? "What are you doing here, Helena?"

Helena smiled as she stopped just a few feet away from Alexis. "I heard we have a new family member. I've come to welcome her home of course."

Alexis flushed with anger. Her dark eyes blazing as she stared at the woman before her. "I don't think so."

"Was that a flash of anger in your eyes, Natasha?" Helena asked as she reached out and caressed Alexis' cheek. To her surprise the young woman didn't flinch or pull away. "A flicker of some real passion? If only you had shown that kind of flicker as a child. If you had not been such a weak, pathetic little mouse, as worthless as your whore of a mother, perhaps I could have looked past your insalubrious parentage and taken more of an interest in you." Helena sighed. "If only you'd been more like Stavros and less like poor pathetic Stefan. Lets hope that there is a flicker of life in your long lost child."

Alexis wouldn't let herself rise to the woman's baiting. "You're not going anywhere near my daughter, Helena."

"A daughter, yes, well you couldn't even do that right could you, Natasha." Helena said with a sad sigh and flick of her hand. "You go and get yourself pregnant at sixteen by some common vagabond and you couldn't even manage having a son. You know, if you had bore a son, perhaps Mikkos would have allowed you to keep your little bastard."

It wasn't easy. Alexis wanted nothing more then to wrap her hands around the woman's throat and squeeze, to feel the life draining from her body, but she pushed the impulse, and the emotions behind it down. "You do realize you have a serious Oedipus complex thing going on with your dead son don't you? It's sick, Helena, perhaps you should seek professional help. I'll even help you put the straight jacket on."

Helena lunged at Alexis, expecting her to step back, but was shocked to find the girl standing her ground as she bore down on her. "Don't you ever speak of my Stavros!"

"Don't worry." Alexis said as she stood there staring Helena down. "I won't. I don't want that kind of poison around my daughter. I don't want you around my daughter."

"And just what are you going to do if I do decide to meet darling little Samantha?" Helena hissed. "You're weak, Natasha, a sad little whore just like your mother. A meek little bastard mouse that doesn't have the..."

"Lady," Sam's voice rang out. "I don't know who the hell you think you are, but you really need to stop speaking to my Mom like that."

Helena spun around and watched as the child stormed down the stairs towards them. She smiled wickedly at the girl. She couldn't deny that in looks the child was truly a Cassadine.

'Sam, stop!" Alexis warned in a tone that Sam had never heard before. Her daughter stopped dead in her tracks. "Don't come any closer."

"Don't be so dramatic Natasha." Helena scolded as she took a few steps towards Sam and the woman now standing at the child's back. "I do apologize for my stepdaughter, Mrs. Jacks. She was taught better manners I assure you."

Alexis grabbed Helena by the arm to stop her. She forced the woman to turn and look at her. "That's right Helena, you taught me many lessons." Alexis locked eyes with the evil woman. "And if you truly want to see how much your daughter I can be; go near my child again, and I promise I'll reunite you with your precious Stavros in Hell myself."

Helena's smile brightened. "There it is again. If I had known that allowing my little bastard mouse to have her own little bastard would finally bring out the true Cassadine in you I wouldn't have forced Mikkos to force you to give it up. All I would have had to do was make him the same promise I made regarding you."

"Not to kill me as long as I didn't know who I truly was." Alexis hissed. "She wouldn't have been a threat to you or anyone else. You hated me so much you couldn't even allow me the love of my own child."

"You were unworthy." Helena hissed back.

Sam ignored her mother's order and went over to the two women. She pushed her way between them and forced Helena to step back. The look on her face was startling to Helena. The emotions playing out in the child's eyes reminded her of Mikkos.

"Lady, I said leave my Mom alone!" Sam hissed. She locked eyes with the old lady and never looked away, ever faltered. "Take a walk before you accidently slip into the water and break a hip."

Helena beamed at the child. "Oh my darling, aren't you magnificent, a true little Cassadine. You're grandfather would be so proud."

"My grandfather was a heartless son of a bitch who stole me from my Mom and kept us apart." Sam replied in a low, trembling voice. "And if you've anything to do with him then you must be just as cold and heartless."

Alexis let go of Helena so she could wrap her arms around Sam. She took several steps away from the woman who was staring at Sam as if she were a child staring a new toy she simply had to have. It made Alexis' stomach churn and her heart hurt. Alexis spoke to Helena in Russian so Sam wouldn't understand, "I swear to God Helena, if you come near my daughter I will slit your vile throat."

Helena laughed. "Don't make promises you're not ready to follow through on Natasha. You never know, I might just have to teach you another lesson by proving that you are all talk. You simply don't have the blood lust that it would take to kill me or anyone else for that matter." Helena let her gaze fall to Sam. "Until next time, Samantha."

Alexis watched as Helena walked off and then sank to her knees. She pulled Sam close and hugged her so tightly Sam squeaked, "Can't breathe."

"Are you alright?" Jane asked as she rushed over.

"We're fine." Alexis replied, still clutching Sam to her. "We'll be fine."

The raw fear in Alexis' dark eyes was startling to Jane. She knew in that moment that Helena was truly a threat to someone she thought of as family, and Jane simply wouldn't allow that. When she got back to her hotel room late that night, after making sure Jax was aware of what happened, and making sure that Alexis and Sam were safe, she picked up her cell phone and dialed a number only she knew. "Hello darling. Mummy needs a favor."


	20. Chapter 20

Alexis stormed into Windermere still clinging to her rage and fear. She'd called Jax and made him come get Sam and his mother, she didn't want Helena harming either of them and knew Jax could tangle with the evil snake woman if he had too, and then she hopped on the launch. She hadn't even given the servants time to announce her after storming into the house; she swung open the doors to her brother's study and marched up to his desk. "Why the hell didn't you warn me?"

"Alexis?" Stefan replied as he looked up at the fuming woman. Her entrance had startled him and her appearance was concerning. "Warn you about what?"

"You're evil bitch of a mother being in town!" Alexis spat.

Stefan got to his feet quickly, but kept his composure. "Helena's here?"

"You didn't know?" Alexis asked with narrowed eyes.

"No, I did not." Stefan replied as he came around his desk and closer to his trembling sister. He put his hands on her upper arms as a way of offering comfort. "What happened Alexis?"

Having her brother so close did help. It gave Alexis the moment she needed to take a few deep breathes and calm herself down. "I was on my way to meet Sam and Lady Jane when she appeared on the docks like the devil woman she is. She said she wanted to meet Sam and I told her to stay away from her. Of course because this is me and my life and my luck Sam showed up with Jane." She looked up into her brother's eyes, his mother's eyes, and shuttered as she said, "You should have seen the way she looked at Sam, Stefan. She looked at my daughter as if she were something to be possessed."

"As if she'd found a backup plan to taking control of Nikolas." Stefan said with a heavy sigh. As soon as he'd found out about Samantha the thought had crossed his mind. As soon as it was reviled that Samantha was a Cassadine by blood he knew she would become a piece to played in his families never ending game.

Alexis shook her head. She didn't understand. "Sam doesn't have any connection to the title and the power she's after."

"That isn't true, Alexis." Stefan reminded her. "Nikolas is an only child. I have no children of my own. If something were to happen to him…"

Alexis' eyes went wide. How could she have overlooked that? "Sam would become the heir." She shook her head again as fear for both Sam and Nikolas gripped her heart. "She would never harm Nikolas. Even if she can't gain control of him, he's still Stavros' son."

"And that may be his only saving grace." Stefan said as he moved her to the sofa and sat down with her. "I had no idea she was here, Alexis. The last report I got on her location said she was still in Greece. I will take the proper measures to protect Samantha and Nikolas. I will also make sure her visit is a short one."

"I'll kill her, Stefan." Alexis told her brother in a voice that said she was deadly serious. "If she harms Sam in anyway, I will kill her."

Stefan looked at his sister with a raised eyebrow. He knew she was telling him the truth, and he knew that he could not allow her to follow through on that threat. He would kill Helena himself before Alexis had the chance, because despite who and why, if Alexis ever took a life this way, it would crush her. "I will keep everyone safe, Alexis. I promise." He kissed the side of her head. "Now, go home to your daughter. I will handle my mother."

After leaving Spoon Island Alexis made one more stop before going home. She trusted Stefan, she didn't trust Helena, so she needed as much insurance as she could get. Which is why she went straight to Luke to let him know Helena was in town. He looked almost excited by the idea of another round with Helena, until Alexis told him the same thing she'd told her brother. He didn't look any more pleased at the idea of Alexis killing her then Stefan did.

As soon as Alexis stepped into the penthouse she was yelling, "Sam! Sam!"

Sam came running out of the kitchen and right into her mother's arms.

Alexis hugged her daughter tight. She was just so glad that Sam was safe.

"Are you ok?" Sam asked as she and Alexis moved to the sofa.

"I'm ok." Alexis said as she took Sam's face into her hands. "Are you? I know that scene on the docks must have been pretty scary."

Sam nodded. "Kind of. That was the women you warned me about, wasn't it? You're stepmother?"

Alexis nodded. "That was her. Sam, baby, I need you to listen to me, ok?" Alexis paused until Sam nodded. "I want you to stay away from her. If she comes near you I want you to run away, scream, and come straight to me, or Jax, or Uncle Stefan. Do you understand?"

"You're afraid she'll hurt me." Sam said as she and her mother kept eye contact.

"We won't let her." Alexis promised. "I won't let her. I promise."

Sam nodded. "I know. I'm not worried about me."

Alexis smiled at her daughter. "Don't worry about me either baby. You're mommy's been dealing with that crazy old bat most of my life. I can handle Helena."

Carly was sitting outside on Kelly's patio with Zander. They were talking about school and about their options on Port Charles. Carly liked Zander. He was easy to talk to and just as she'd suspected they'd had a lot in common.

"I ran from my last foster home when I was thirteen." Zander explained. "I did alright taking care of myself but I got into some pretty bad shit."

"Kristina mentioned she knew you through her sister." Carly told him.

Zander nodded, a fond smile appareling on his face. "Alexis was the first person to ever give me the benefit of the doubt. She knew I was bad news but she still helped me out." He explained how he'd stayed with Alexis for a while and that now he was staying in a room above Kelly's and how Ruby was looking out for him. When Carly huffed at the mention of Ruby he chuckled and asked, "You got a problem with Ruby? No one hates Ruby."

"We have," She paused to think and then continues, "personal issues."

"Personal issues?" Zander asked with a smirk and raised brow.

Carly sighed. "We just don't get along."

"Give her a chance and I bet you two could be close." Zander told her and then raised his hands in surrender at the look he got. "I'm just saying. She's your family, right?."

"Great-aunt." Carly said with a look of distaste on her face. "I have my hands full with Bobbie." She huffed. "I don't need another busy body poking around in my life."

Zander decided to change the subject since Carly seemed to be getting short tempered. He had to think a moment and was just about to ask if she were into music because Eddie Maine was playing at Luke's when they were interrupted.

"Hi Carly." AJ said as he walked over and joined her at the table. He completely ignored Zander who was glaring at him. "I was just on my way to Luke's. Wanna join me?"

Carly blinked in surprised when AJ sat down and then glared at him. "Excuse you. Zander and I were having a conversation."

AJ looked over at Zander and then back at Carly. "You don't want to hang out with this looser, Carly. Unless of course you're trying to score some drugs; maybe a little E? That could be fun."

"I don't do that shit anymore man." Zander said defensively. "If you're looking to score you need to go someplace else."

"Come on Carly." AJ said as he stood up and took Carly's arm as if to help her up. "My cousin is playing at your uncle's club. We can get in easy."

"No." Carly said as she pulled away. "Thanks, but I think I'd rather hang out here."

AJ flashed her a smile. "You'll have more fun with me then with street trash."

Zander was pissed, not at what AJ said about him, but because of how he was treating Carly. He grabbed the taller boy by the arm and shoved him away from Carly. "She said no, now back the hell off."

"I think you need to step off man." AJ warned in a low threatening tone.

"No, you're the one who needs to step off." Zander replied as he stepped into AJ's space.

Carly jumped to her feet. She didn't want this getting out of hand. "Both of you knock it off. AJ, take a walk." She grabbed Zander's arm. "Lets go inside."

"Leave her alone." Zander warned AJ.

"Or what?" AJ asked.

Zander got in AJ's face. "I'll kick your ass."

AJ laughed and before Zander could react he pushed the younger boy, causing him to slam into Carly who fell into a table, and then to the ground. The boys began to scuffle but before it could turn into a full on fight Ruby came out with Jagger on her heels.

Ruby rushed over to Carly while barking out, "You two knock it off!"

While Ruby went to her niece Jagger went over and pulled Zander and AJ apart.

"Carly, sweetheart are you alright?" Ruby asked as she crouched down by her niece.

Carly nodded. "Yeah, I think so."

Ruby helped Carly to her feet and frowned when she saw the bleeding cut over Carly's eye. She wheeled on the boys and pointed the baseball bat she had brought with her at them. "What the hell is wrong with you two Neanderthals? Did either of you notice that you'd managed to hurt Carly or were you both just to focused on knocking each other's heads off?"

"Carly are you ok?" Zander asked as he took a step closer but Ruby stopped him with the bat.

"See what you did?" AJ barked as he lunged at Zander but Jagger kept a tight hold on him.

Ruby eyed the boys and shook her head. Bobbie had told her about AJ and Carly and she didn't like it any more then her niece did. She pointed her bat at the boy. "I don't care what the hell your last name is, get the hell away from my niece, my dinner, and Zander before I bet the hell out of you myself."

"Ruby." AJ said as he held his hands up as if to show her he was no threat.

"Don't Ruby me." Ruby growled at the boy. "Just get!"

AJ nodded at the woman and backed away. The only one dumb enough to cross Ruby had been Jagger when he tried to rob the dinner. But it all went wrong and instead of robbing her he ended up one of her strays. Like Zander, Jagger lived above Kelly's since Ruby had become something of a foster mother to him as well.

Once AJ was gone she pointed the bat at Zander. "Clean this mess up and then go take a cold shower or something you hothead." Then she turned to her niece. "Lets get you inside and have a look at that cut."

Carly wanted to argue but the look Ruby gave her said that she'd better not. Something told her Ruby was just old school enough that she wouldn't think twice about taking someone over her knee. She let the woman, who she still blamed for talking Bobbie into giving her up, into the dinner and sat in the chair she pulled out for her.

Ruby went to get her first aid kit and then came back and pulled out a chair so she could sit in front of her great-niece. "What happened out there?"

"I'm not really sure." Carly said honestly as she flinched a little as Ruby pressed a clean clothe to the bleeding cut. "AJ was being AJ and then Zander and him were shoving each other."

Ruby sighed and shook her head. "I don't know about that boy."

Carly frowned. "Maybe if everyone stopped looking down on him he wouldn't have so many issues. I haven't heard a single good word about him since I met him."

"Which should tell you something about him." Ruby replied. Once she'd gotten the bleeding stopped, she cleaned the cut, put some antibiotic salve on it, and then butterfly bandages. "There, that should do. I'm sure your mom will look it over when she gets here."

"You called Bobbie?" Carly asked, her eyes a little wide.

"Of course I did." Ruby huffed at the girl. "You were hurt."

Carly groaned. "It wasn't a big deal. You took care of it, you didn't have to call Bobbie and worry her."

"Worry is what mother's do." Ruby replied as she cleaned up. After standing and gathering everything she said, "Does anything else hurt?"

"No." Carly answered.

Ruby gave a small nod before saying, "Stay put."

Of course Carly didn't. As soon as Ruby was out of sight she left. She was angry over what had happened and she wanted some answers, so she went looking for AJ. She found him at Luke's. He was right about her not having any problem getting in and it hadn't taken her long to find him. She stalked up to him and demanded, "What the hell was that back at Kelly's? What the hell is wrong with you?"

AJ smiled at the sight of her. "I'm glad you came."

Carly just shook her head. "I just want to know why you're such an ass."

"Good breeding." AJ replied easily. "It's a family trait."

"You're hopeless." Carly grunted.

"You're cute." AJ replied.

Carly narrowed her eyes. "I'm jailbait."

"I like living on the edge." AJ said as he stood up. He gently caressed the side of Carly's face. "Sorry about that."

Carly stepped away from him. "I'm serious, AJ, what the hell is this? You realize I'm fifteen right?"

AJ shrugged. "You don't act fifteen."

"Yeah, well, I kind of had to grow up fast the last few years." Carly replied.

"Me too." AJ said with a smirk.

Carly rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah because a privileged life is so damn hard."

"You have no idea." AJ agreed.

Carly just shook her head and then said, "You need to back off."

AJ smiled at her. "Have a drink with me."

Carly just stared at him for several seconds. What was it with him? Why did he seem so fixed on her? It made no sense. She wasn't someone worth stalking. She was just a kid and he was nearly a grown man. "I'm serious AJ, back off and leave me the hell alone." She turned to leave but AJ grabbed her, pulled her close and kissed her. Carly could taste the alcohol on his lips and it made her sick to her stomach. She kneed him so hard in the groin he fell to the floor doubled over. "I said back off! Next time I won't ask so nicely!"

From the bar Luke watched the scene unfold and frowned until he saw Carly knee the young Quartermain. "That's my girl." Once his niece was gone Luke had AJ kicked out, a little to roughly, and told his bouncer and hostess not to let the little punk back in.

"Where were you?" Bobbie demanded when Carly finally came home.

"I had something to take care of." Carly replied in a snipe.

Bobbie walked over to her daughter and took her chin in her hand so she could look over the cut above her eye. "Ruby told you to stay put."

"Yeah well Ruby can go…."

"Caroline!" Bobbie cut her off.

Carly sighed in a way that only a teenage girl could sigh. "I'm fine, Bobbie." She tried to shoo away Bobbie's hands. "I've got homework to do."

"Where were you, Caroline?" Bobbie asked again as she put her hands on her hips.

"I already told you." Carly replied as she started climbing the stairs. "I had something to take care of."

"Caroline." Bobbie repeated.

Carly turned on the stairs and warned, "Back off Bobbie! I'm not in the mood."

Bobbie raised a brow at the girl. "Watch your tone young lady."

"Look," Carly said in a softer voice. "Just back off, ok? I went looking for AJ to tell him to leave me alone. Then I went to check on Zander. I'm fine. Ruby took care of the cut so you don't have to fuss."

Before Bobbie could say thing Carly was running up the stairs. She sighed and shook her head. This thing with AJ was really starting to bother her. She needed to talk to Monica and Alan, maybe even AJ himself. If he kept messing with her little girl she might just to take matters into her own hands.


	21. Chapter 21

Sam was feeling smothered and boxed in. Ever since the run in on the docks with her mother's evil stepmother, Alexis hadn't left her alone for a second. The only time she wasn't in her mother's line of sight was when she was in school. But even in school she knew there was a bodyguard watching her. This Helena woman had all the adults in her life on edge and Sam couldn't get a good enough answer from any of them as to way. All they would say is that Helena was dangerous and evil. They were all worried that she would do something to Sam, but they wouldn't tell Sam what that might be. They just kept her in this tight little bubble that was starting to piss her off.

She'd been surprised when Alexis said they were going to Windermere for dinner. She knew that her mother was being extra cautious about taking Sam out, but she supposed Alexis felt she would be safe there because of Stefan. As was their new tradition she and Nikolas had gone to his sitting room for a chess lesson. When her cousin excused himself from the room for a few minutes Sam found herself looking around the large room. In the corner she noticed that a part of the wall was open. She smirked. It had been ages since she'd explored the tunnels of the old castle. Without any hesitation Sam, after finding a flashlight, entered the passageway and closed the panel behind her.

The long passageways thrilled Sam. She loved spending time alone just walking and exploring. As she went along she would make up stories about treasure hunters looking for the lost treasures of long dead royals. Her favorite fantasy was about the displaced princess who was looking for just the right piece of treasure that would take her home to her family. She of course was the princess, but she wasn't like some silly Disney princess, she was more like Lara Croft. As Sam rounded a corner she found herself in a brightly lit section of tunnel that was colder then other parts of the tunnel. She could hear the sound of the lake washing over the shore in the distance, which let her know she was in one of the tunnels that lead outside. Sam hadn't realized it as she walked but she'd been lead there. She didn't realize it until it was to late.

"Hello darling Samantha." Helena greeted as she came out of the shadows.

Sam froze in place as she looked at the woman. She didn't look dangerous, but Sam knew looks could be deceiving.

"Don't be frightened my dear." Helena said as sweetly as Helena Cassadine could manage. "I won't harm you."

It took several seconds but Sam managed to find her voice. "That's not what everyone else thinks. Alexis, Stefan, even Jax expect you to kill me or something."

"And why would I do that?" Helena asked as she came closer to the girl. "Why would I ever harm my beloved Mikkos' granddaughter? His noble blood runs through you veins, my dear. His dark eyes stare out at me from his round face. His passion and love of adventure shines from you like a beckon."

"You hate my mother." Sam said as she watched the woman circle her. "I look like her, and if you think I look like my grandfather, that means she looks like him too."

That prickled against Helena's skin like static shock. The idea of Alexis being anything like Mikkos was sickening. The woman might have the look of a Cassadine, but where it mattered she was much too much like her insipid diva mother. "You have potential your mother never had."

"Potential for what?" Sam asked, her eyes never leaving the woman as she continued to walk around her. "Would you stop circling me like a vulture. You're making me dizzy."

Helena smiled at the girl. Such bravery in the face of someone everyone told her was an enemy. "To be a truly great Cassadine." She answered as she stopped and stood in front of Sam.

"And what does that mean?" Sam asked. "To be a great Cassadine?"

Helena smiled at the girl as she explained, "To be a Cassadine is to be powerful. We have spent generations bending the world to our will, ruling from great seats of power." She sat on a nearby create and gently reached out to Sam, pulling her close. "No one walks over us. No one uses us, abuses us, or takes advantage of us. We are strong, Samantha. We are noble. And we are superior to all others."

When Nikolas returned to find Samantha gone he ran downstairs to the main sitting room where the adults where. "Uncle! Aunt Alexis!"

"What is it Nikolas?" Stefan asked as he quickly got to his feet.

"Samantha's gone!" Nikolas informed them. "I stepped out of the room for only a moment, I swear, and when I returned she was gone!"

Panic and fear gripped at Alexis' very soul. "Helena."

Without hesitation Stefan called for his men. They would search every nook and corner of the estate until they found his niece.

"I'm sure she's fine." Kristina reassured. "She's probably in the tunnels somewhere. You know how much she loves them."

"Kristina is right." Stefan said as he put his hand on his sister's shoulder. "She's been trying to map the tunnels correct? I'm sure that's what she's doing. There's an entrance in Nikolas' room. We'll begin there."

"What do you want from me?" Sam asked as she stared into Helena's cold eyes. There was something there but Sam didn't think it was human. Looking into Helena's eyes wasn't like looking into her mother's or Kristina's or even Stefan's. There was no warmth, no emotion that didn't make Sam want to run screaming.

"I want you to come with me." Helena said sweetly.

Sam crossed her arms in the same way her mother did as she asked, "Why? Got a bunch of puppies you need help killing to make a new coat?"

Helena laughed. "Oh, you have Mikkos' sense of humor. I like that." She smiled at the girl and caressed her cheek. "Come with me and I'll show you all the wonders of the world, Samantha."

"Nikolas is your grandson." Sam replied. "I'm no one to you. Why do you want me to come with you?"

Helena smiled. "Because my darling you are Mikkos Cassadine's granddaughter and unlike you're cousin you haven't been polluted beyond redemption. I would raise you to be a true Cassadine, not some pathetic peasant. With the proper education you could rule with the power of generations of czars and saints."

"You realize there was a revolution right?" Sam asked as she stood there looking at the woman carefully. Helena had said all the right things, playing off how Sam felt about being used and abandon, she offered security in a way, but Sam wasn't a stupid kid. She knew a con when she saw one. "You want a puppet, but mainly you want to hurt my mother. You can't stand that fact that Mikkos loved my grandmother and not you."

Anger flashed in Helena's eyes and she had to fight with herself not to strike the child. After she reined in her emotions she said, "I would never harm my dear Natasha."

Sam snorted. "You're a good liar, a good con, but your full of crap. You and Mikkos took me from her once and you want to do it again. What better way to hurt her then to turn me into something like you?" Sam shook her head. "No, I'm not leaving my mom. I won't hurt her and I won't let you hurt her either."

"She can't give you what I can." Helena hissed. She didn't like being told no.

Sam shrugged her shoulders. "She can give me everything I want and need." Sam shook her head again. "I'm not your granddaughter, I'm not Mikkos' Cassadine's granddaughter; I'm Alexis Davis' daughter. So thank you for the offer but you can shove it."

"You should really reconsider." Helena said as she snatched the front of Sam's shirt.

"Let her go!" Alexis screamed.

"She gave you her answer Mother." Stefan added as he moved towards them. "Now leave the girl alone."

Sam wanted nothing more then to run to Alexis but she didn't want Helena to see her scared. She was relieved beyond belief when Stefan walked over and pulled Helena's hand away and picked her up. She almost buried her face in his neck, but managed to keep her gaze focused on Helena. She would not show this woman fear, no matter how badly she frightened her.

Helena would have argued and fought back against her hated son and Mikkos' little bastard, but she didn't feel like dealing with the armed men who were also in the room. She smiled at Sam as she said, "I'll see you soon my darling. Give my love to your cousin Nikolas."

It wasn't until Helena was out of sight, his men following to make sure she left the island, that Stefan set Sam on her feet and she ran right to her mother. Alexis wrapped her arms tightly around her child. "Are you alright?" Alexis asked as she clung to her little girl.

"I'm ok." Sam said as she buried her face in her mother's chest. "I'm not the one she wants to hurt." Sam tightened her hold on Alexis, but because she was scared of Helena for herself, but because she was scared of Helena for her mother.

Stefan led them out of the tunnels while Sam told them what happened. Once they were back in the house proper, Alexis took Sam to what use to be her rooms. Her emotions were on a rollercoaster ride, switching from fear, relief, and anger. "What the hell were you thinking Samantha! I told you I didn't want you alone while we were here!"

"I was feeling cooped up." Sam explained. "I haven't been alone since that day on the docks!"

"With damn good reason!" Alexis shouted back. "That woman is crazy and dangerous, Samantha! You could have been hurt! She could have kidnapped you! She could have killed you!"

"I didn't know she was going to be in there!" Sam replied as she threw herself onto the loveseat in the room and crossed her arms over her chest. "I didn't know it was a set up!"

"That's my point Samantha!" Alexis said as she sat beside her daughter. "You never know what that old witch is going to do! She's unpredictable and dangerous!" She grabbed her daughter and pulled her into her arms and held her tightly. "If anything happened to you it would kill me. I can't loose you again, Sam, I just can't."

Sam pushed away and looked at her mother carefully. She saw the fear in her eyes and it was a knife in her heart. Tears welled in Sam's big brown eyes. "I'm sorry, Alexis, I didn't mean to scare you."

Alexis pulled Sam close again and wrapped her arms around her. After they left Spoon Island Alexis took Sam and Kristina home. Once she was sure her girls were safe she left the penthouse without a word.

As Helena moved around her room she couldn't help but feel that something was off. The moment she'd stepped foot on her yacht she'd felt it. Her manservant had reassured her that everything was fine, but she simply couldn't shake the feeling. Walking over to her bar she poured herself a glass of sherry, but before taking a sip she had the sudden urge to turn around.

"I warned you to stay away from my daughter." Alexis said from where she stood on the other side of the room.

Helena smirked. "Such a lovely child. She'll make an exceptional minion."

Alexis moved closer to the vile woman who had taken so much from her in her life. "I won't allow you near my child, Helena."

Alexis was no threat to her so Helena moved to sit in her favorite chair. "You're threats are becoming a bore, Natasha."

"Did you know that keeping mementos of your kills is one of the markers of a psycho serial killer?" Alexis asked in a calm voice as she approached Helena. "You really should hide yours better, you know. It was easy to find this one."

Helena got to her feet quickly but not quick enough to stop what was happening. Alexis grabbed Helena and shoved her up against the wall before pressing the blade of the knife she had in her hand against Helena's throat. She'd pushed Helena in such a way that her hands were trapped behind her, and Alexis was using her own body and weight to press against Helena, keeping her immobile.

Strangely enough it wasn't fear that Helena felt as the sharpness of the blade bit into her skin, it was pride. "Ah, the righteous fury of a mother protecting her most beloved child, I know the feeling well, but do you have what it takes to follow through, Natasha? Are you Cassadine enough to slit my throat with the very dagger I used on your mother?"

Anger and hate flashed in Alexis' eyes as she moved the knife so it's tip bit into Helena's throat. She looked the woman who'd raised her in the eyes as blood appeared on the silver tip. "To keep my daughter safe from you, damn straight I am."

"Don't do it Natasha." Luke called from the doorway. "She isn't worth it."

"Ahh Luke." Helena said despite the discomfort and pain Alexis was causing her. "Come to join the party have you?"

Luke came up behind Alexis but didn't try to physically stop her. "If you kill her, Alexis, you'll kill the very best part of yourself. She'll finally have won because she'll have turned you into something just like her."

"I won't have her toying with Sam." Alexis told him. A small stream of blood had made its way down the blade and was starting to touch Alexis' skin. Her mind noticed and it was making her feel sick. "I won't have her hurting my daughter!"

"I think she gets the message darlin'." Luke replied. "You've made her bleed, Alexis, I don't think anyone has ever done that before."

Helena looked into Alexis' eyes and whispered, "Do it my little mouse. Don't be so weak!" She hissed. "Don't be a coward, Natasha!"

Alexis pressed a little harder. Dark eyes locked with cold ones for several long moments before Alexis finally said, "Killing you would be cowardly. It would turn me into something I'm not willing to be." She pulled the knife away from Helena's throat only to press it into the flesh on the woman's chest where her heart should be, drawing blood a second time. "I win, Helena, I got the better of you, I'm spearing your life; stay away from me and mine." She pressed harder until she heard a staggered gasp of pain from Helena. It wasn't a fatal wound, but it was deep enough that it would scar. "Swear it!"

"I give you my word." Helena replied as her eyes pinched in pain.

For several seconds Alexis held the knife, giving it a little twist before stepping back from the woman. She kept the knife held out as she backed away. There were two streams of blood flowing from where she'd cut her stepmother. There was blood on her hand. Alexis felt sick.

"Come on darlin'." Luke said as he took hold of Alexis' arm. "I'm buying you a drink." He led Alexis off the yacht and down the docks. Alexis still had the knife in her hand. When they were far enough to be out of sight of Helena's yacht she finally had to stop and throw up. Once her stomach was empty and she could see past the tears Alexis looked at the knife in her hand for several long seconds before hurling it out into the lake. The splash it made was as loud as a slamming door.

"You are one impressive woman." Luke said once Alexis had collected herself a little.

Alexis looked at him and shook her head. "Just a scared mother."

"I wouldn't worry about Helena." Luke reassured. "At least not when it comes to Sam."

"She'll find a new reason to blacken our doorstep." Alexis said with a knowing nod.

Luke smiled at her.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Alexis asked as she watched Luke watching her.

"You're really hot when you go all Cassadine." Luke teased.

Alexis groaned and pushed pasted him. "I'm going home."

"What about that drink?" Luke called out after her.

"Have one for me." Alexis called back. "I just want to go home and be with my daughter."

Once she was alone Helena walked back over to her bar. She picked up one of the towels and pressed it to her bleeding wounds. Clearly she had underestimated her stepdaughter. That wouldn't be a mistake she made twice. Picking up her glass of sherry she walked over and sat in her chair once again. Taking a sip she let her mind wander to what her next step would be.

It hadn't been Alexis who had caused Helena's odd feelings. It hadn't been Jax's ladylove who'd dispatched Helena's boy toys, nor had it been Luke. He'd watched the whole scene play out and couldn't help but smile. Alexis was magnificent. Now he watched as Helena sipped at her evening sherry and waited. When he noticed the slack look coming over her, as if her limbs were suddenly too heavy, and she was suddenly very tired he walked out from his hiding place.

"Good evening, Mrs. Cassadine." He purred as he approached her. "Don't panic. You're not going to die, you're simply going to be very weak for some time."

Helena's eyes went wide as she looked at the man. She didn't know him and yet he seemed familiar. "Who?" She whispered in a strained voice.

He smiled at her. "I've had many names, and faces, over the years. I find it keeps things interesting." He knelt down in front of her as her body went limp. "But you may call me Mr. Craig."

"Why?" Helena asked in an even more strained voice.

"My reason is quiet simple really." Jerry told her as he reached out and patted her cheek. "I'm protecting Alexandra and dear sweet Sam."

Helena looked into the man's eyes for several seconds before her eyes went wide again. She tried to say something but he put his finger over her lips. He smiled at her before picking her up and carrying her into the bedroom. Once he was sure she was secure he headed up to the bridge and pulled out of the berth and away from the harbor. He would make sure that Helena was no longer a threat to his family.


	22. Chapter 22

Since it seemed like Helena had left Port Charles with her tail between her legs, Alexis had eased up a little and Sam was feeling relieved. Sam had been feeling really caged and it was driving her stir crazy. Just when she felt as if she were about to crack, Alexis announced that she'd get to spend all day with Carly alone. That small gesture had defused what could have been a major blow up. Carly had picked her up at the penthouse for lunch and a movie. They were sitting at a table in a little Chinese place they both liked talking about everything that had happened to them since the last time they'd seen each other. Carly had been really concerned about this Helena woman, but Bobbie had reassured her that Sam would be fine. Sam didn't like this AJ person one little bit and demanded that she get to meet Carly's new friend Zander.

"You'll like him." Carly told the girl sitting across from her. "He's a lot like us. He was a foster kid for a long time before he got out. Plus, he's a friend of your Mom's." When Carly said the word mom there was a flicker of something across Sam's face. "Ok, half pint, what's on your mind?"

Sam looked up from her sweet and sour chicken. "Huh?"

"I've had this funny feeling all afternoon that you have something on your mind." Carly explained. "And just now when I mentioned Alexis you got this weird look on face."

"Oh." Sam said softly. Sometimes it sucked that Carly could read her so well.

"Is everything ok between you and Alexis?" Carly asked.

Sam nodded. "Yeah, everything's great." Sam answered as she looked up at her friend and then sighed. "It's just like how I imagined it would be, kind of, mostly, it's kinda better really."

"To good to be true." Carly said with an understanding nod.

"Yeah." Sam said with a soft sigh. "I keep expecting something to happen, like this is a dream, or Alexis realizes it's a nightmare."

Carly reached across the table and took Sam's hand. "You're not going to wake up and find it all gone, Sammie, it's not a dream, its real."

"I know." Sam replied with a smile. "Thank you."

"What for?" Carly asked. She was getting a little uncomfortable. She didn't think she needed to be thanked for anything.

"For wanting this for me and then getting it for me." Sam said with a soft blush.

Carly blushed as well. "You're welcome."

The two fell into a somewhat comfortable silence as they ate and sorted through their own thoughts and emotions. After several minutes passed Sam looked up and asked, "Carly, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course you can, half pint." Carly replied.

Sam was quiet for a moment and then asked, "Do you think Alexis would mind if I called her mom?"

Carly smiled brightly at that. "Sam, I think you'd make her year if you called her mom."

"Really?" Sam said, her tone making it clear how unsure she was about it.

"I'm positive." Carly answered. "Hearing you call her mom is going to mean a lot to her. She adores you Sam."

"Really?" Sam asked again.

Carly chuckled. "Yes, really. Sam, when you walk into a room, or she hears your name, or when she talks about you, her eyes light up; just like yours do when you see her."

Sam smiled a little at that. It was silly but when Alexis is at work and she's in school she kind of misses Alexis. It really dose make her happy to simply see the woman. "So you think she'd like it if I called her mom?"

"She'd love it." Carly reassured. "I bet she even cries the first time."

That made Sam frown. "I don't want to make her cry, Carly."

Carly chuckled. "Happy tears, Sam, mom's get all sappy and weepy when they're happy."

"Oh." Sam replied. She thought it over a little more as she took another bite of her lunch and chewed it. This was a big thing for her. She never called Evelyn mom, she'd never wanted to call anyone that before, but now it was all she could think about. Maybe she'd never wanted to because she knew in her heart the only person who had a right to that name was Alexis. Then she looked up at Carly again, "Do you think I should ask her first?"

"If it would make you feel better about it, sure." Carly answered. "But she isn't going to tell you no, Sam. She's your mom and you should call her mom if you're ready. Are you ready to take that next step?"

Sam thought about it for only a second and nodded. "Yeah, I am, I really want too."

Carly beamed at the little girl who was, in her heart, her little sister. "Then do it."

Again Sam grew quiet as she tossed her thoughts around and shifted through them. Maybe she should ask first, just to be on the safe side, but deep down Sam knew she didn't have too. Deep down she knew it was something she and Alexis both longed for. It was that final connection between them, the final seal that would make it real. It was kind of scary and kind of wonderful all at the same time. Finally after a long while she looked up at Carly again, "Do you think you'll ever call Bobbie mom?"

The question caught Carly a little off guard and she wasn't sure how to answer it. "I don't know, Sam." She thought about it for a moment and added, "We're not there just yet. There are other factors in play when it comes to me and Bobbie." When she saw Sam about to protest she held up her hand and shook her head. "It's not just about me being older and bitter. I had a mom, Sam, I'm just not sure how she'd feel."

Sam thought about that and nodded. "Yeah, but you know what? I think you're mom wouldn't want to be in the way of you and Bobbie. I think she'd love you enough that she'd share you. I think she'd understand and want you and Bobbie to be close. She can't be here to be your mom, so she'd want someone to be, and since Bobbie is your birth mom she makes the most sense."

Carly looked at the girl for a second and then shook her head. "You're to smart for a ten-year-old."

"I know." Sam beamed proudly which made Carly laugh and shake her head.

Once they finished lunch the girls headed over to the movies. After the movies they hit Kelly's for ice cream sundaes. After taking Sam home Carly decided she wasn't ready to go back to the brownstone so she just started walking around town. She was enjoying herself, simply being alone and getting to know Port Charles. She was actually smiling a little until she heard someone call out, "Hey."

Carly stopped and looked around. She was in front of a car dealership. She looked around quickly and realized she'd wandered into the more upscale part of town. She looked to see who had called out and if he'd been talking to her. She'd only seen him in passing at school but she knew who he was. Who didn't know a Quartermain when they saw one in this town? "Who me?"

Jason nodded and gave the girl a warm smile. "What do you think?"

"Think about what?" Carly asked.

"The red one or the silver one?" Jason asked as he motioned to two very expensive sport cars.

Carly looked around to double check that he was talking to her. Which made Jason laugh. When she turned to look at him she couldn't help but smile. She liked the sound of his laugh. "Um, I don't know, I don't know anything about cars."

"Well," Jason said as he motioned her closer. "Which do you think looks better?"

Carly came a little closer to the cars and looked them over. "The red one. The only people who drive silver ones where I come from are men who are to damn old to be driving and way to damn old to be trying to impress the women."

Jason really laughed at that. "My Grandfather drives a silver two seater."

"See." Carly said with a small smile.

"But he's happily married." Jason teased.

"Doesn't mean he's dead." Carly replied.

Jason gave her another warm smile. "Good point." He turned to the salesman who was standing out of the way. "Let my Grandfather know that if he insists on buying it; I'll take the red one."

"Very good Mr. Quartermain." The salesman replied and then walked away.

"Thanks for the help." Jason said as he turned back to Carly. "My Grandfather has been harping on me for months to pick one out. It's not like we need another car."

"You're grandfather is buying you a car that costs more then the house I live in?" Carly asked, despite the fact she knew it was a stupid question. The Q's bought whatever they wanted and apparently whatever they didn't want.

Jason just shrugged. "It's a birthday present."

Carly just shook her head. Her last store bought birthday present had been a twenty-dollar Barbie doll from k-mart when she was twelve.

Jason picked up on the girl's discomfort and said, "Anyway, thanks for the help Carly."

The girl blinked. "How'd you know…"

"I was at the Nurses' Ball." Jason explained. "And our mothers are best friends. I've heard Bobbie speaking of you. You have no idea how thrilled she is to have you in her life again."

"Seriously?" Carly asked, her eyes a little wide.

Jason nodded. "Seriously." He smiled at her. "Actually, she's over there now, or she was when I left. I could take you over or take you home if you'd like? You're kind of far off from the brownstone. Where are you coming from?"

"I was coming from the Harbor View Towers." Carly explained.

"Wow, you've been walking for awhile." He chuckled. "It's still a long walk back to the brownstone from here." Jason said as he nodded towards the car he was driving. "I can drop you off or take you to Bobbie."

Carly was unsure. She didn't know this kid and she was leery of cars when someone she knew and trusted was driving. "Thanks but I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Jason asked.

"Yeah." Carly replied. "Best way to get to know a place is by walking. It was nice meeting you. Have fun with your new car."

"Nice meeting you." Jason agreed. He watched as Carly walked off before leaving himself.

Since Kristina had taken over the television after dinner Alexis had gone up to her room to get some work done. She had files, briefs, and law books spread out all over her bed. She was taking down some notes on a legal pad when there was a knock on the door. Looking over the top of her glasses, which had settled on the end of her nose, she called out, "Come in." She smiled brightly when a small head of dark hair poked in.

"Um, Alexis?" Sam said as she looked at her mother from behind the bedroom door. "Um, can we talk about something?"

Alexis beamed. "Of course we can baby." Alexis moved her stuff off to the side and patted the place beside her on the bed as she took her glasses off and weaved her fingers into them.

Sam came into the bedroom and closed the door behind her. She walked over to her mother's bed and hopped up onto it. She sat so she was facing Alexis but hadn't looked up at her yet.

"What's on your mind, Sammie?" Alexis asked as she titled Sam's head up.

"Well," Sam said softly. She looked into her mother's eyes and saw such love and caring and adoration. "I've been thinking about something and I wanted to ask you about it first."

Alexis gave her daughter a warm and reassuring smile as she brushed hair from her shoulders. "You can talk to me about anything sweetheart."

"Well," Sam started again. "I was thinking, and wondering, and I'd understand if you didn't want me too." She lied as she babbled. She wouldn't understand at all. "But I was wondering if maybe it would be ok with you if I stopped calling you Alexis, and, you know, called you Mom, or something, cause I've never called anyone that before and I was kind of thinking that maybe that's cause I was only ever meant to call you that. So, would it be ok, if I called you Mom?"

Tears welled in Alexis' eyes as she listened to her baby babble. "You want to call me Mom?"

Sam nodded. "I'm ready, but if you're not…"

Alexis pulled Sam into her arms and hugged her so tight. "I'd be so happy and proud for you to call me Mom." She took Sam's face in her hands and covered it in kisses. "I've waited a long, long, time to hear you call me that."

Sam giggled as Alexis covered her face in kisses again. In that moment Sam felt, for the first time in her short little life, as if everything in her world was right. She threw her arms around Alexis' neck and hugged her tight. "I love you Mommy."

Tears rolled down Alexis' face as she held her little girl. Her heart swelled and beat with such love, and for the first time in a very long time, if ever, everything was right in her world too. "I love you too, my sweet baby girl."


	23. Chapter 23

Sam was sitting at the coffee table doing her homework when Alexis came home from work. She was working on a new math concept that Jax was helping her with, while Kristina sat curled on the couch reading from her English lit. book. Alexis smiled at the sight that greeted her. "Hello family." She greeted as she walked over to places kisses on heads and her favorite pair of lips.

"Hi Mom." Sam replied without looking up from her textbook. "How was your day?"

Alexis smiled as she replied, "It was fine, sweetheart." Hearing Sam call her mom was like receiving a gift every time she said it. "Thank you for asking. How was yours?"

"Bearable." Sam replied. She had yet to become a fan of school.

Jax smiled up at Alexis and said, "I thought I would take all my lovely ladies out for dinner tonight."

"That sounds wonderful." Alexis agreed. "Let me run upstairs to freshen up and change."

Sam continued to work on her last problem and was just finishing it when there was a blood curdling scream from upstairs. Her head snapped up as her big brown eyes went wide. "Oh no!" She shot to her feet and bolted upstairs. A few seconds later Alexis ran down the stairs and jumped up on the couch while Kristina and Jax looked on in a mix of amusement and concern.

"Alexis?" Jax asked as he reached out to her.

"There's a rat!" Alexis screamed as she clung to Jax as if he would save her from the animal.

When Sam came down the stairs she was holding a black and white rat in her arms. When she saw the look on her mother's face she quickly said, "It's alright Mom! He won't hurt you."

"It's a rat!" Alexis screamed.

Sam frowned. "His name is Ric, Ric the Rat; and your scaring him."

"I'm scaring him?" Alexis shouted in disbelief. "I'm scaring him!"

"Yes, you are." Sam said firmly. "Please stop screaming."

"It's a rat, Samantha!" Alexis yelled at her daughter and shuttered in disgust.

Sam rolled her eyes as she set Ric on her shoulder. "He's a fancy rat, Mom, a pet rat. He isn't going to hurt you."

"Samantha!" Alexis hissed in revulsion. "Stop touching it!"

"Alexis." Jax said calmly while Kristina was turning red from holding in her laughter. "Calm down. Ric is a class pet and it's Sam's weekend to look after him. He's clean, safe, and I'm sure Sam won't let him out of his cage again; will you Sam?"

Sam shook her head. "He'll stay in my room; in his cage, I promise." She would just have to be more careful because clearly she hadn't gotten his cage secured which is why he'd been in the hall near her mother's bedroom door.

"Hey!" Kristina said in protest, her inward battle at not laughing at her sister wiped clean by her niece's statement. "I don't want that thing in my room!"

"He's not a thing!" Sam argued. "And it's my room too!"

Alexis' mother mode kicked in when the girls started to argue. "It…"

"Ric!" Sam huffed.

Alexis tried hard not to roll her eyes. "Ric, can stay in the laundry room, but just for the weekend. I want that thing out of my house first thing Monday morning. Are we clear?"

Sam didn't like it but she knew it was the best she would get. "Fine."

"I'll help you move his cage." Jax said as he heading upstairs with Sam. He smirked when he heard Sam mumble something about a bunch of sissy girls.

After dinner Jax went home and Kristina went out with her friends, leaving Sam and Alexis alone to spend some time together. On their way home from renting movies Alexis decided to drive past the lake. They were heading down Lake Road when Sam suddenly sighed.

"What's wrong?" Alexis asked as she took a moment to look at her daughter in the back seat through the rear view. "Sam?"

"Nothing." Sam said as they drove. She'd been looking at all the houses and hadn't meant to sigh. She was just thinking how lucky these people were to live so close to the lake.

Alexis bit her lip. She watched as Sam looked out the window at the passing houses. "Have you ever lived in a house, Sam?" It broke her heart that she even had to ask that.

Sam shook her head. "No, small apartments, motel rooms, trailers, Cody's car."

Tears burned Alexis' eyes. She swallowed the lump in her throat and slowed down so she could blink a few times to force the tears away. "It's pretty out here."

Sam nodded, a sad, small smile appearing on her face. It was silly for her to feel like this. She lived in a big beautiful penthouse with her very own mom and aunt. She had a clean, warm bed, clean clothes, plenty of food, and things to do. She didn't need anything else, but the thought of a house was still nice. "I bet it's really cool to live so close to the lake."

"Have you always liked the water?" Alexis asked. She wanted to know as much about her little girl as she could, the good and the bad about Sam's past.

"Yeah." Sam replied. As they turned off and headed up Harbor View towards their building, Sam turned her attention to her mother. "There's just something about it. It's hard to explain."

Alexis smiled at that. When they got home they settled in for a mother-daughter movie night. While Sam was changing into her pjs; Alexis popped popcorn and got their drinks. After she changed into loungewear they cuddled on the couch and popped in the first movie. It was such a simple thing to do and yet for Alexis is was something so much more. It was a new memory she'd have with her daughter.

When the movie ended Sam stretched out on the couch and then laid head in Alexis' lap. She smiled when Alexis started playing with her hair.

"Did you like the movie?" Alexis asked as she looked down at Sam.

Sam nodded. "Yeah, but now I want reese pieces." Sam smiled when Alexis chuckled. Sam had never seen E.T. so that's one of the movies they rented even though Alexis wasn't really a fan. "What kind of movies did you watch when you were a kid? Did they even have movies back then? Did they have movies in Greece?"

"Hey!" Alexis laughed as she tickled Sam's belly. "I'm not that old! And yes, they had movies in Greece."

"Did you have movie nights?" Sam asked as shift so she was lying on her back looking up at her mom. Reaching up she started played with a strand of Alexis' hair.

Alexis shook her head slightly. "We didn't really have a communal television on the island. Mikkos had one in his study, Helena had one, and Stavros."

"But not you or Stefan?" Sam asked.

"Nope, not us." Alexis answered. "We did sneak away to the mainland every so often. When Helena and Stavros were gone Stefan and I would go over to the mainland and spend the day. We'd go to a movie and have a meal, maybe do a little window shopping."

"What kind of movies did you see?" Sam asked. She wanted to know as much about her mother as her mother wanted to know about her. She really loved this chance to spend time alone together.

Alexis chuckled. "Well, I liked the American movies that passed through, but Stefan liked the Russian and Italian movies."

"So Uncle Stefan has always been boring and dull?" Sam asked with a playful chuckle.

It didn't go unnoticed that Sam had just said Uncle Stefan. In fact Alexis was beaming as she poked her little girl playfully, causing her to giggle. "Uncle Stefan is not boring and dull. He's…" She had to pause to think of the right word. "He's just very… European."

Sam rolled her eyes. "Ingrid's European, and Mrs. Q, and they're not boring or dull. Helena's European, and she isn't boring and dull, she's just bat shit crazy."

"Samantha!" Alexis scolded. "Language."

"You're European and your not boring or dull any more." Sam continued after another eye roll. "And Mikkos couldn't have been boring and dull because someone who is boring and dull doesn't try to freeze the world."

Alexis' eyes went wide. "How did you know about that? And what do you mean I'm not anymore?"

Sam smiled brightly. "Mr. Luke told me when I had lunch at his house last week when I went over to see Lucky and Sly's worm farm." She paused, still smiling. "And he said he helped you to loosen up." She added and then asked, "So, you and Uncle Stefan went to see bad movies when Psycho Granny and Stavros-a-sicle were away; what else did you do for fun?"

"Stavros-a-sicle?" Alexis asked with a laugh. "Ok, you're not allowed to spend time with Mr. Luke anymore." She shook her head and then answered, "I read a lot." Alexis answered as she brushed at Sam's dark hair. "I would go out and explore the island." Alexis smiled at one of the few good memories she had of her childhood. "I use to walk all over the island and make up stories about being shipwrecked or about being an archeologist looking for lost ruins."

Sam's dark eyes got bright as she asked, "Really?" Alexis smiled as she nodded. "I do that at Windermere! When I explore the tunnels I make up stories about being on an adventure."

Alexis beamed at her little girl. "Maybe we could explore together and make up a story together?"

"I'd like that." Sam said as she beamed up at her mother. "What else did you do? Did you have a lot of stuff?"

"No, not really." Alexis said with a gentle shake of her head. "I didn't have a lot of toys or anything like that. I had mostly my books and journals, but I did have a couple of things. I had a doll that my mother had given me when I was very small, and I had a stuffed horse, Coco, that belonged to Kristina when she was baby." Alexis paused a moment to keep her voice from cracking. She smiled at Sam to let the girl know that it was ok, that she was alright. Then she continued, "And I had these matryoshka dolls, some people call them babushka dolls, most people in this county call them Russian nesting dolls; anyway, I had a set that once belonged to my Aunt Sophia. Before her they belonged to my grandmother, who'd given them to her only daughter, and since Sophia didn't have any children and I was grandmother's oldest granddaughter Mikkos gave them to me."

"What are they?" Sam asked.

"They're little wooden dolls with smaller dolls inside." Alexis answered and then suddenly sat Sam up. She bounced to her feet and held out her hand. "Come with me."

Sam let her mother lead her upstairs to her bedroom and while Alexis went into her closet to dig around Sam crawled up on her mother's bed. Sam sat on the huge comfortable bed and giggled as she listened to Alexis bang around and hiss a few words in a language Sam didn't know. Several minutes later Alexis came out and walked towards the bed with what looked like a very fancy shoebox to Sam. The girl watched with wide, inquisitive, excited eyes as her mother took the lid off the box and moved some tissue paper out of the way. Dark, yet bright, eyes widen as Alexis lifted out a beautiful wooden, cylindrical doll that was tapered towards the bottom and rounded at the head.

Alexis held the doll out to Sam and smiled when the girl was apprehensive in taking it. "It's ok, take it baby. They're yours now."

Sam blinked as she took the doll as if it were something sacred. "Mine?"

Bright, dark eyes sparkled with welling tears as Alexis realized she was able to pass these on to her daughter. She nodded as she said; "They've always been passed down from mother to oldest daughter."

"It's so beautiful." Sam said softly as she turned the doll over in her hands so she could look at the hand-pained details. It was mostly dark reds, blacks, greens, and blues. There was some weight to it and a gentle knocking sound as she moved it around. She traced her finger over the seam and asked, "How do you open it?"

Alexis took the doll from her daughter's hands and showed her how to open the doll. Inside was a slightly smaller doll with it's own hand-painted look, which she handed to Sam as she put the first back together. She watched with pure joy as her little girl carefully examined each doll before opening it and taking out the next. By the time Sam was finished there were seven wooden dolls spread out in front of them on the bed.

"They're so pretty." Sam said as she looked over each doll again. "Are you sure you want me to have something so special and old?"

"I'm sure, baby." Alexis said as she leaned against her headboard and watched her little girl play with a toy that had been in her family for generations.

Sam was smiling so brightly it lit up the room. "I wish I had a special place to put them." Then she looked up and asked, "Tell me more about our family?"

Alexis smiled. She pulled Sam close and told her about the history, or at least the PG version, of the Cassadines and about what she knew of her mother's family. She answered Sam's questions, and told her more about her own childhood. She knew that it made it easier for Sam to accept her and to connect with her knowing that she'd had a rough start in life too. When Sam fell asleep Alexis put the dolls back together and back in their box and moved it off the bed before climbing in with her daughter and snuggling her. Both Davis girls slept well that night.

The next morning Alexis got up early and was gone when Sam and Kristina awoke. When she got home she closed the door behind her and leaned against it as she looked at Kristina and Lady Jane, who'd come over to watch the girls, with a dazed look on her face.

"Alexis darling are you alright?" Lady Jane asked in concern.

"I just did something exceptionally impulsive." Alexis replied.

"What?" Kristina asked.

Alexis blinked and then looked at her sister. "I bought something."

Kristina looked at her sister oddly. "What did you buy?"

Alexis looked between her sister and Jane for a long moment before answering. "A house."


	24. Chapter 24

As they pulled up into the driveway Sam was starting to look more and more confused. Alexis hadn't told her where they were going, only that she had something to show her. When Alexis and Kristina got out of the car she followed. It was one of the houses she'd seen on their way home the other night and Sam thought it was just as lovely in the day as it was at night. She followed her mother and aunt onto the deck and smiled. "Oh, you can see the lake from here!" She stood on her tiptoes as she leaned against the railing and stared out at the calm water "Mom, who lives here?"

Alexis was beaming as she waved Sam inside after unlocking the door. Once they were inside she answered, "No one right now but in a few weeks we will."

Sam's eyes got huge. She stared at her mom for a long moment before asking, "We will?"

Alexis nodded, her smile huge and bright as she dangled the keys. "I bought it. This is our house."

Sam's eyes got even wider as her jaw dropped. "We're going to live here?"

"Yeap." Alexis said as she smiled at her beaming child. "You and Kristina will have your own rooms. There's lots of room to play and we're right near the lake."

Tears welled in Sam's eyes. It felt like a dream. Another silly wish made on a star that was coming true. "I'm going to live in a house?"

Alexis' heart was breaking and soaring at the same time as she went over and pulled her little girl into her arms and hugged her tight. "Any place that has us together is our home, baby, but yes, we're going to live here in the lake house."

"I've never…" Sam started.

"I know." Alexis said softly as she leaned down and kissed her daughter on the forehead. She cupped Sam's face in her hands and used her thumbs to wipe away her tears.

Kristina was ecstatic. She was excited and happy for her family. Sam deserved the best, Alexis did too, and it felt good to see them both getting it from each other. "When do we move in?"

"In a few weeks." Alexis replied. "I want to redecorate, update the kitchen, and let you two decorate your rooms however you want." She hugged Sam again before saying, "So you two should go pick out which room you want. Mine is the master bedroom, but there are four others to choose from."

Sam hugged her mom tight and then pulled away and took off running. "I wanna see the lake from mine!"

Jax snuck up behind Alexis and wrapped his arms around her, causing her to squeak in surprise. "You're such a wonderful mother. You bought your child a house simply because she'd never lived in one."

"I want to give her everything, Jax." Alexis replied as she leaned back against him. "I want her to have a good childhood, a safe, loving home, a place she can always come back too even when she'd a beautiful grown woman."

"I love you." Jax said as he turned her in his arms.

Alexis smiled just before he leaned down and kissed her.

When the kiss ended he looked down into her beautiful brown eyes as he said, "If I'm ever blessed enough to be a father; I want you to my child's mother."

Those beautiful brown eyes went wide. "Jax."

He smiled brightly and then kissed her again. "I'm just letting you know a head of time."

Because AJ was out of town looking at a college in the city Bobbie and Monica thought it was a good time for them to have dinner together and for Carly to come along. Carly was feeling more then a little nervous as she and Bobbie were ushered into the foyer of the Quartermain mansion. She looked around as she slipped off her jacket and handed it to the man Bobbie called Reginald. While he took their jackets a rather large, scary looking woman lead them to the sitting room.

"Bobbie and Carly Spencer are here Dr. Qs." Alice announced.

Monica smiled as she got up to greet her guests. "I'm glad you both could make it. Welcome Carly."

"Thank you." Carly said softly. She was feeling very out of place. She'd met both the doctors Quartermain at the hospital and they seemed nice enough, but this was more then a little overwhelming.

Alan smiled as he came up to her and Bobbie. "Let me introduce you my dear." He said as he offered his arm to her. Carly looked over at Bobbie who gave her a warm smile and reassuring nod. Carly took Alan's arm and he led her over to his mother. "Carly, this is my mother, Lila Quartermain."

Carly gave the woman a bright smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Quartermain. I've heard a lot about you."

Lila gave the girl a bright smile as she took Carly's hand. "It's very nice to meet you as well my dear. I must say you have made Bobbie very happy and I wanted to say thank you. I'm rather fond of her you know."

That made the teen blush. She liked Lila instantly. She was also introduced to Edward, who was brash and a bit of a curmudgeon, but she kind of liked him right off the bat too. She shouldn't have been surprised. Sam had already met them and had taken an instant liking to the elderly couple, and Sam didn't instantly like many, so it said a lot about them that Sam liked them so easily. Carly was far less taken with Alan's sister Tracy. Within five seconds she could tell the woman was a bitch. Ned was ok but she could see why Alexis had tossed him over for someone like Jax. Then of course there was Jason and Emily who'd she'd already met. They all settled in for pre-dinner drinks and conversation and it took Carly some time to relax, though she never really completely relaxed. As they chatted she found herself drawn to Lila and spent most of her time talking to her. When they were called to dinner she even walked along side the Quartermain matriarch. Carly found it kind of amazing that this regal woman had once been an English actress and was soaking in Lila's stories like a dry sponge soaking in water.

After dinner Jason came up to her and said, "They delivered my car this morning." He smiled warmly at her. "Thanks for helping me out. It's an awesome car."

Carly gave him a small smile. "Cool, I'm glad."

"Do you want to go out and have a look?" Jason asked warmly. "I bet you could use a breather for a few minutes." Carly was about to protest but he stopped her. "It's ok, I know it can be really daunting meeting my family. Sometimes even we need a breather from each other."

"In that case." Carly said with a soft chuckle. "Yeah, I could use a moment or two."

Jason gave her a smile and after retrieving their jackets headed out to the Quartermain garage. Carly blinked as she looked around. "Holy crap. You weren't kidding when you said you didn't really need another car. I've never seen a garage with so many doors."

Jason chuckled as he led her over to his car. He opened the passenger side door and got in the back. It was a convertible and since the top was down he sat on the trunk with his feet in the back seat. "I tried to tell Grandfather I didn't need it, but I guess he bought AJ one for his sixteenth birthday, he bought one for my Aunt Tracy, and my Dad on theirs. Grandmother says that buying big expensive gifts is how he shows his love."

"Well," Carly said as she sat in the front passenger seat with the door open. She kept her legs outside the car and twisted to look back at Jason as they spoke. "I guess he is kind of older and some old people aren't comfortable with emotions."

"That's what Grandmother says." Jason said with a nod. He paused a moment and then said, "So, how do you like PCH?"

Carly shrugged. "It's not so bad. It helped that I already knew Kristina, and Zander's been a big help."

"Kristina's great, I like her, don't think I know Zander." Jason commented before adding. "It's a whole lot better then boarding school."

"You went to boarding school?" Carly asked.

Jason nodded. "Until I started high school. So I know how it feels to be the new kid in school."

Inside AJ walked into the sitting room and surprised everyone. He was surprised to see Bobbie there because she hadn't come to dinner since Carly arrived. He then started to wonder if Carly was there as well. He bickered with his father over being left out; Alan could tell he'd been drinking and asked him to go upstairs. AJ got defensive and walked out of the room. Monica apologized to Bobbie. She knew her friend was concerned about AJ's treatment of her daughter, and to be honest Monica was worried too. AJ had been so focused on his brother's girl, Keisha Ward, why would he suddenly be so interested in a girl who was three years younger and still just a little girl.

AJ found out from the staff that Carly was outside with Jason. Jason. It figured. His golden boy brother always drew people to him with such ease. Brenda. Keisha. Karen. Why should it be any surprise that Carly would like him better too? He'd thought that a girl like Carly, a girl from the wrong side of the tracks, wouldn't be into Jason's sweetness and light. He paused on his way out to where they were to pull his flask out of his pocket. He downed more vodka and then staggered his way out to them.

Carly and Jason were simply chatting, laughing, and enjoying each other's company. Jason was ok, but Carly thought he was kind of a golden boy. He was a little to preppy for her tastes. He was cute, though she thought he could use a hair cut. To be honest she was far more into Zander, but Jason could be an ok friend. Neither of them saw AJ until he was climbing into the driver's seat of Jason's car.

"AJ?" Jason asked in surprise. "What are you doing here? I thought you were spending the weekend at Columbia? What the hell are you doing?"

"Nice car little bro." AJ slurred as he reached across Carly, pulled her legs into the car, and closed her door.

Carly froze. She could smell the alcohol. She could feel his body heat. His touch made her sick as memories flooded her mind and she froze, wide-eyed and unable to breathe.

"You're drunk!" Jason said as he tried to snatch the keys from his brother. "AJ, you can't drive! You're drunk! What the hell are you doing?"

"Oh, come on, Jas, I shared my car with you." AJ replied. "You can share yours with me." He turned and smiled at Carly. "Come on babe, let's take this baby out for a test drive!" He started the car and took off. "Jason's to much of a good boy to really give her a good go."

Something deep inside her told Carly to reach for the seatbelt and put it on as tears welled in her eyes. Her hands were trembling, she was struggling with it, but she managed to get it on.

Jason noticed how Carly was reacting and tried like hell to get AJ to stop. "Come on man! You're scaring the hell out of her!"

Tires screeched and the smell of burning rubber filling the air.

Carly screamed as the car slammed into the tree.

Everything went dark.

She could hear voices but they sounded distant. The first one, a man's, she didn't know, or didn't know well. Then there were sirens and the sound of more unfamiliar men. She was cold, she was hurt, and she was alone in the darkness with unfamiliar voices and terrifying sounds. Carly wanted her mother, she wanted Bobbie, and she tried to call out for her but she couldn't speak. All she could do was hurt and be scared.

Bobbie's whole world came to a crashing halt when the police came up to the house and told them there had been an accident, and that Jason and Carly had been hurt. She rode with Monica and Alan to the hospital in a numb fog. When they stepped off the elevator something about the familiar sights, sounds, and smells helped her snap out of it. She stormed up to the nurses' desk in the ER. "Where's my daughter? Carly Benson-Spencer, where is she?"

"She's in trauma two." Young Nurse Johnson replied. "Dr. Hardy is with her now."

Without saying a word Bobbie ran to where her daughter was. Steve Hardy was ordering a bunch of tests as she walked in. Tests that let her know her daughter had a head trauma. "Carly!" Bobbie ran over to her daughter's bedside with tears welling in her eyes.

"Mama." Carly said weakly. She'd regained consciousness in the ambulance but then went right back out again. She came to just a few seconds before Bobbie came in.

"I'm here honey." Bobbie said as she stroked Carly's blood matted blonde hair. "Mama's here."

Tears seeped from the corners of Carly's eyes. "Mama," She moaned. "Everything hurts."

"I know." Bobbie said, her voice soft so Carly wouldn't hear it crack. "We'll make it better. I promise."

"Ok." Carly said as she closed her eyes.

Steve was very calming, very patient with Bobbie as he pulled her away from her daughter so they could take her down to x-ray. He hugged the woman who he had watched grow from a trouble young girl into a beautiful woman. As he hugged her, letting her cry into his chest, he remembered the day he showed her around the hospital, the day she started the student-nursing program, how close she'd been to Jessie. Bobbie was one of his favorites and everyone knew it. "It'll be ok, Bobbie."

Things could have been a lot worse for Carly if she hadn't put her seatbelt on. As it was she had a nasty concussion, several bruised ribs, a sprain in her neck, a broken wrist from throwing her hands up, and she'd reopened the gash over her eye. Bobbie sat beside Carly's bed and brushed at her beautiful blonde hair with one hand, and held her daughter's fingers in the other. She'd just gotten her little girl back, and in the blink of an eye she could have lost her again. The thought brought tears to Bobbie's eyes. She used the hand that wasn't holding Carly's to wipe them away.

"Don't cry Mama." Carly said, hoarsely. "I'm ok."

Bobbie smiled brightly at the sound of Carly's voice. "Hi honey." She replied. "How do you feel?"

Carly had to think about that. "Weird."

"You're on pain medicine." Bobbie told her.

That made sense. She turned her head as much as she could so she could look into her mother's dark hazel eyes. When Bobbie was really upset there was more brown then green. Carly could spend hours watching her mother's eyes change color. "Why are you crying?"

Bobbie wasn't sure how to answer that at first, but then she decided to be honest. How could she expect Carly to be open and honest with her about her feelings if Bobbie wasn't open and honest with her in return? "I was scared."

Carly frowned and dropped her eyes. "I'm sorry."

"It's ok, honey." Bobbie said as she caressed Carly's cheek. "It wasn't your fault. It was just an accident. It's going to be ok. You're going to be ok."

Thankfully Carly was to tired and drugged to ask about Jason. He hadn't faired as well as she had and Bobbie didn't want to explain it to her. "Don't leave, Mama, ok?"

"I'm not going anywhere honey." Bobbie promised as she went back to caressing Carly's hair and cheek. "I'm going to stay right here with you, I promise. Mama's not leaving you, ever."

Carly sighed softly and closed her eyes. "Love you Mama."

Fresh tears welled in Bobbie's eyes. "I love you too, Carly."


	25. Chapter 25

When Carly felt a little better Bobbie finally told her about Jason. As soon as she found out she wanted to go see him, but Bobbie didn't think it was a good idea. Of course that didn't stop Carly. She waited until Bobbie headed home to shower, change, and spend a little time with BJ and Lucas, and then slipped on her robe and snuck out of her room. She figured that since Jason had had brain surgery he was in ICU so that's where she headed. She felt so bad about all of this. She felt so guilty. She didn't realize that this was all AJ's fault.

As she made her way down the hall she heard a familiar voice so she stopped to listen.

"There was no alcohol or drugs involved. " Alexis said. "So you won't be charged with anything, and the police won't be speaking to the children. They agreed that there was no need to cause them any further stress."

"That's good." Ned replied. "Jason opened his eyes this morning, but he still hasn't responded to anything, or anyone. How's Carly?"

"Banged up pretty good. It would have been worse if she hadn't had her seatbelt on." Alexis replied. "I was just on my way to see her when I saw you. Sam's pretty upset. She and Jax are out buying her something to cheer her up."

"I'm glad she's ok." Ned said. "I feel so awful, Alexis. That poor girl could have been hurt far worse, Jason is hurt far worse, and it's all my fault."

"It's not your fault, Ned." Alexis replied. "It was just an accident. That road is known for deer accidents this time of year."

"It is my fault." Ned protested. "I was the one driving the car."

"He's lying!" Carly said as she came around the corner. She'd been confused by the conversation the two here having, she couldn't figure out why Ned was blaming himself, then she heard what he said about driving and it set her off. "Alexis! He's lying! He wasn't driving the car, AJ was!"

Alexis was startled by Carly's suddenly appearance. She wished she could be startled by what she was saying, but she knew Ned, and she knew that he would do something like this. She walked over to the girl and put her hands on Carly's shoulders. "Carly, sweetie, you need to calm down. You have a severe concussion, you shouldn't be out of bed."

Angry tears welled in Carly's eyes as she shook her head. "He's lying! He wasn't even there! AJ was driving the car!"

"Carly." Alexis said firmly as she gave the teen the same look she gave Sam and Kristina when she wanted them to listen to her. "You need to calm down. Go back to your room and I'll be there in a moment and you can tell me what happened."

"Why?" Carly sniped. "So you can help him lie and cover this up? He thinks that just because him and his family are rich they can get away with everything! I heard you! He isn't going to get in trouble for this, AJ would. AJ should, he was the one driving and he was drunk! Please Alexis!"

"Carly, I won't help cover anything up, I promise" Alexis said as she held tight to the girl's upper arms. Carly shouldn't be on her feet, she was wobbly, and Alexis could feel it in the girl's muscles.

"Alexis." Ned said from behind them. He had been hoping to talk to the girl, to convince her to go with the story, but Bobbie hadn't left her alone until now.

Alexis held up her hand to shut him up. "Go back to your room, sweetheart. You shouldn't be on your feet yet, Carly." She said firmly as dark eyes locked with blue. She did a quick scan of the area and caught sight of a nurse who she asked to help Carly back to bed. "Go. Now."

Carly stood there for a long moment before she turned around and left. She didn't trust many people, in fact she could count the number on one hand, Alexis just happen to be one of those few.

Alexis watched until she was sure Carly was back in her room before wheeling on Ned. "You son of bitch. You're covering up for him again aren't you?"

"Alexis." Ned said with a shake of his head. "She's wrong. She hit her head. She's confused about what happened."

She walked up to him slowly, and when she was close enough so no one would over hear, she told him something Carly had told her after a small freak out about getting into a car with Jax. "When Carly was a little girl she and her best friend went to a sleep over at another friend's house. Her mother couldn't pick her up the next day because she was working a double shift, so her best friend's father picked them up. He was drunk. He drove over a guardrail. The father and Carly were hurt pretty badly. Carly's best friend was killed in the crash. She doesn't like being in cars, Ned, they kind of make her claustrophobic. She has to trust someone a lot before she'll ride with them. She'd never get into a car with you."

"But she'd get into one with AJ?" Ned asked.

"No, she wouldn't." Alexis replied. "Not on her own."

"So you're saying AJ forced her?" Ned asked.

"He's been harassing her for her weeks." She could tell he was getting angry but she didn't care. She understood the need to protect your family, but she also knew that there had to be a line. "Covering this up isn't the way to handle this, Ned. Jason isn't out of the woods yet; he could still die. Carly could have been hurt worse then she was. If he doesn't take responsibility for his own actions, next time, and there will be a next time, he will kill someone."

"Alexis, how do you think Monica and Alan are going to feel if they find out one son almost killed the other?" Ned asked as he reached out to stop her from walking away. "What's done is done. Please. Help me convince her to go along…"

"No." Alexis said as she shook her head. "No, I'm not going to tell Carly to lie about this. You need to find another lawyer for AJ and yourself. You lied about an accident. You covered up an accident where two teenage kids were nearly killed; one still might die."

"Alexis!" Ned shouted at her as she jerked away from him. "Don't do this!"

Alexis kept walking. She went to Carly's room but before going inside she told one of the nurses that Ned Ashton was to be kept away from Carly. Going into the room she walked over and sat beside the girl. "Talk to me sweetheart. Tell me what happened."

Carly nodded as she wiped tears from her cheeks. She told Alexis everything, including how scared she was. She was a little surprised when Alexis moved from the chair to sit on the bed so she could hug her, but the surprise faded and Carly returned the woman's hug. Alexis called Bobbie and the police. They were both there with Carly as the teen told the police her story. Alexis and Bobbie both knew that this was going to cause fall out, but they also knew AJ had to be stopped.

Once Carly had talked to the police and Bobbie was sure she was alright and resting she slipped out into the hall. "Alexis." She greeted the younger woman who was waiting. "Thank you. I know how easily she could have been lost in this Quartermain maelstrom. I know it couldn't have been easy for you to side against Ned."

"I care about Carly." Alexis replied. "She's family. As far as Ned goes, protecting AJ to protect his family's name isn't going to help AJ in the long run."

"I whole heartedly agree." Monica said as she came up to the two women. "Oh, Bobbie, I am so sorry." She hugged her best friend and then stepped back. "AJ will face what he's done no matter what Ned and Edward say."

When the adults moved off to talk so Carly couldn't hear them she slipped out of her room again. This time she made it all the way to Jason's. As she walked up to the window and looked at him she gasped and covered her mouth. Tears welled in her eyes as she looked at the tubes, wires, and his bandaged head while she listened to the beeping coming from the nurse's desk. He had tried to stop AJ, to keep her safe, and now he was lying in a hospital bed. She slipped into his room and over to his bed. They hadn't been friends, they barely knew each other, and yet her heart was breaking.

"Please don't die, Jason." She whispered as she took his hand into hers. She held his hand tight and closed her eyes. She sent up a little prayer that he would be ok. She nearly jumped out of her skin when he squeezed her hand back. Her eyes flew open just in time to see his fluttering open.

"Carly." He whispered behind his oxygen mask.


	26. Chapter 26

Carly stood outside Jason's room again. It had been a week since she'd been released, and she stopped by at least once a day to see how Jason was. After he'd awoken he drifted in and out for the rest of that day and most of the next, but he was a little more coherent now. People kept coming by to see him and she wondered if they noticed the tightness around his eyes. Did they realize how uncomfortable they were making him? How confused he was? Did they care? Her mother told her that Jason was having memory problems, but that he'd asked for her by name more then once. She wondered why?

"You can go in." Bobbie told her with a warm smile. "But only for a little while. He still needs his rest."

Carly nodded. She walked into Jason's room and tried to give him her best warm smile. She could see the tension melt away as she came closer. "Hey."

"Hey." Jason replied. He eyed her casted wrist and felt a wash of guilt. "How are you feeling?"

"A little sore." Carly admitted. "Pain pills are wonderful things. How are you feeling?"

Jason's eyes pinched as he sighed deeply. "I don't know."

Carly saw the tension come back. "Well that's ok. You don't have to know."

"I don't?" Jason asked as he looked at her. "They all think I should."

"What the hell do they know?" Carly asked. "What their tests and stuff tell them? Its your body, your head, if you don't know then you don't know."

The corner of his lips twitched up a little. The two teens were quiet for a little while. It was a comforting quiet. She didn't elicit the same response that others did. With her he could just be quiet. After several minutes he said, "I can't remember stuff."

"Your brain bounced around inside your skull like a penny in jar." She replied with a soft chuckle. "I'm surprised you didn't wake up quacking like a duck or something." He smiled, which made her smile. "My Mom says that it was all swollen and stuff and you had something like a bad bruise on a part of it. Its getting better, it might just take a little more time before it's completely better. You're alive, breathing, talking, eating, doing all the important human stuff, so there's no rush, right?"

"They all want it rushed." Jason replied, his smile quickly fading. "They want me to be like I was."

"Yeah, well, people in hell want ice water." Carly replied with a smirk.

Outside the room Bobbie and Monica watched. It amazed both of them how Carly seemed to be the only person who didn't set Jason off. She was also one of the few he remembered. Carly, Lila, Emily, and Robin, where the only one's he knew, the only one's he remembered. It hurt Monica, but she was hoping that as his brain healed his memory would come back.

"She relaxes him." Monica said with a gentle shake of her head.

"I don't think there's any pressure when it comes to her." Bobbie explained. "They barely knew each other so there's no expectations."

Monica nodded. "You're probably right. I just wish he'd smile for me like that."

Sam was reclining on the couch reading a comic book when there was a knock on the door. She looked up and then over towards the stairs to see if her mom was going to come down. When she didn't see Alexis instantly she jumped off the couch and went to the door. She pushed the desk chair over so she could see out the peephole. There was a man with dark hair standing on the other side. "Hi Mr. Ashton."

Ned couldn't help but smile. "Hi Sam. You going to open the door?"

"I'm not suppose to." Sam replied.

"Is your mom home?" Ned asked, feeling silly having this conversation trough the door.

"Maybe." Sam answered. "What do you want with her?"

He smiled at her again. "I'd like to speak with her."

Sam eyed the man carefully. It wasn't that she disliked him or anything, she didn't really know him, but he had been in her mother's life once in a way that only Jax should be in her life. "What do you want to talk to her about?"

"It's personal." Ned replied. "May I come in?"

Sam was reluctant but she moved the chair and opened the door. "Personal how?"

"It's grown up stuff." Ned told her as he came into the penthouse.

The girl closed the door and walked over to stand in front of him. She sized him up as she crossed her arms over her chest. "She's with Jax."

"I know." Ned said with a growing smile.

"She loves Jax." Sam told him, as she looked him right in the eyes.

"I know." Ned replied.

She looked him up and down again and then said, "Hands off."

Ned held up his hands. "We're just friends, I promise."

She glared at him for a moment before she nodded. "No one likes a home wrecker." She warned him before going to the stairs. "MOM! Mr. Ashton is here!"

When Alexis came downstairs she was surprised to see Ned, but she was more surprised to see the way Sam was looking at him. "Everything alright down here?"

Ned was trying hard not to laugh. "Everything's fine."

Sam huffed at him.

Alexis looked confused. "Sam, why don't you take your comic book upstairs, please." She watched as Sam continued to glare at Ned. "Now, Sam."

"Ok." Sam finally replied. She gathered up her comics and headed upstairs as she was told. She paused on the landing and looked at Ned. She used two fingers to point to her eyes and then point at Ned; she was letting him know she was watching him.

"Samantha." Alexis scolded. She was utterly clueless but she knew something had happened. Sam had this particular look about her. "Now." Once they were alone and she was sure Sam wasn't listening she turned to Ned who was laughing. "What did I miss?"

It took a moment for Ned to stop laughing. "I don't know what was better. Her defending your honor or marking Jax's territory." At the looked Alexis gave him he explained, "She was just making sure I knew you were with Jax and that you were happy." Her look shifted to one of amusement and a little motherly anger. "She was protecting her family. She's a lot like you Alexis, and not just in looks."

Alexis smiled at that and then said, "She shouldn't have been rude." She paused a moment before asking, "What are you doing here Ned?"

"I wanted to apologize." Ned replied. "I shouldn't have put you or Carly in the position I did."

"You were doing what comes naturally to you." Alexis said with a shrug of her shoulders. "I can understand that. It's part of being a gatekeeper. But sometimes we have to step aside and let things happen the right way."

"AJ's pretty shaken up over all of this." Ned told her. "I think maybe he's finally learning."

"He should be shaken up." Alexis replied. "He nearly killed his brother." She paused a moment before asking, "What did Justice work out for him?" Ned looked at her with a touch of shock in his eyes. "Like Edward would let him go to jail."

"Court ordered in house rehab." Ned answered. "Five years probation starts when he gets out."

Alexis shook her head and sighed. "I suppose that's something."

Ned looked a little angry. "You think he should have gone to prison?"

"I think rehab is only going to work if he wants it too." Alexis replied honestly.

Alexis and Ned talked for a few more minutes before he left to head back to the hospital. She sighed softly at the mess AJ had created and hoped the boy could get it together before something else happened. Shaking off those thoughts Alexis went to the bottom of the stairs. "Samantha, come down here please."

"Yeah Mom?" Sam said as she bounced down the stairs.

"We need to chat." Alexis said as she sat on the couch and patted the place beside her. She waited until Sam was sitting next to her before asking, "Care to explain your rude behavior with Mr. Ashton?"

Sam shrugged. "I just wanted to make sure he knew what was what."

"Samantha, though I appreciate your concern, my adult relationships are none of your business." Alexis scolded gently.

"You almost married him." Sam said with a frown, her dark eyes pinched with a hint of disgust.

"I did." Alexis said with a nod. "Once upon a time I loved him."

"But you love Jax." Sam pointed out.

Alexis nodded. "I do love, Jax, very much. Which is why I didn't marry, Ned."

"Well, men like him have money lined skulls. They're thick." Sam said with a soft sigh. "I just wanted him to know that you love Jax. I didn't want him to make Jax go away."

"Oh baby." Alexis said as she pulled Sam close. "Sweetheart, Jax isn't going to go anywhere. No matter what happens between Jax and I, he will always be in your life."

"How do you know that?" Sam asked as she looked up into her mother's eyes.

"Because I know Jax." Alexis answered without doubt. "And I know he loves you very much and will always be in your life."

Sam was quiet a moment as she thought about what her mom was saying and then finally nodded. "I'm glad we have Jax."

"So am I." Alexis gave her daughter a warm smile before turning serious again. "Samantha, I want you to feel like you can express yourself, but I don't want you to be rude about it. You need to learn to be more tactful."

"Ok." Sam said with a nod. "But I wasn't that rude. It's not like I kicked him or anything."

Alexis gave her daughter a look. "That would be ill advised my daughter."

Sam gave her mother a sheepish smirk. "Yeah, I figured as much."

After talking to Sam Alexis decided to call Jax and let him know how Sam was feeling. She could tell, even over the phone, how touched he was over the little girl's affection. They agreed that it would be a good idea if Jax spent some one on one time with Sam, and he'd start by taking her out to dinner.

Sam was wearing a lovely gray dress that she kind of liked, and it looked really cute on her as she walked into the PC Grill with her hand in Jax's. She felt so grown up and special as Jax told the man he had a reservation for a table for two. She giggled when Jax pulled out her chair for her and then scooted her under once she was sat down. Jax ordered sparkling grape juice and Sam got to drink it out of a champagne flute. After dinner they went ice-skating and walked through the park with hot chocolate. By the time Jax brought her home she was sound asleep in his arms, her head resting on his shoulder, and her tiny hand clutched around a small bouquet of flowers. After Alexis changed her little girl into her nightclothes, she and Jax tucked the girl. Jax watched for a moment as Sam slept with a smile on her face; a smile much like the one her mother was wearing as Alexis pulled him out of the room and towards her own


	27. Chapter 27

"No, Samantha." Alexis said for the hundredth time. "You can not get a pet rat when we move into the lakehouse."

Sam tried giving her mom her best puppy dog look as they rode up in the elevator. When it was clear her mom wasn't going to give in she asked, "Well, what about a guinea pig?"

"No, rodents." Alexis answered as they stepped off the elevator. The moment she was in the hall Alexis got the oddest feeling that caused her to rush Sam towards their penthouse door. As she unlocked the door she glanced over her shoulder at Sonny's door. Something just didn't feel right and it was coming from his penthouse.

Sam was so caught up in trying to figure out a way to convince her mom that she needed a pet that she didn't notice that her mom was acting funny, or that the woman nearly shoved her into their penthouse. "Ok, no, rodents, so what about a rabbit? Rabbits aren't rodents. We could get a hutch, one that's heated, and it can stay outside."

Alexis sighed as she closed and locked the door behind them. "I'll think about it, Sam."

"I still don't see what the problem is about having a pet rat." Sam said as she made her way over to the couch.

"Samantha!" Alexis snapped at her daughter.

Sam looked up at her mother with wide eyes. She hadn't expected her to yell at her.

The look on her daughter's face made Alexis instantly regret snapping at her. She moved over to the couch and pulled Sam into her arms. "I'm sorry baby. Mommy didn't mean to snap at you like that."

"What's wrong?" Sam asked as she allowed her mother to hold her. She could feel Alexis' whole body tremble with tension.

"Nothing's wrong baby." Alexis tried to reassure.

Sam shook her head. "No, something isn't right, what is it?"

Alexis caressed Sam's cheek and gave her a warm smile. Sam could read her so easily, and she wondered if that were a good or a bad thing. "There really isn't anything wrong baby. I'm just feeling a little edgy, that's all."

"How come?" Sam asked.

Before Alexis could answer someone was pounding on her door. Alexis jumped to her feet as she told Sam, "Go upstairs, Samantha, and don't argue with me!"

For once Sam did what she was told without question. Something about her mother's mood told her to follow her lead, despite suddenly feeling scared and wanting to stay with her.

Alexis waited until Sam had run upstairs before going to the door. She checked the peephole and gasped. Swinging the door open she helped Kristina help Zander inside. His shirt was covered with blood, and from across the hall she could hear Sonny's raised voice along with someone else's. "Oh my god what happened?" She asked just as she realized the other voice belong to Joseph Sorel. She closed the door and locked it before helping Kristina get Zander to the couch.

"Sorel." Zander hissed as he was helped onto a couch. "He jumped me on the docks. I woke up in Sonny's place. Payback for leaving, I guess."

Alexis ran over to her refreshment table and grabbed some towels. "Kristina, call the police." She told her sister while she pressed the towels to Zander's bullet wound. "How did Kristina get involved?"

Zander flinched and hissed as Alexis applied pressure. "Sorel thought it was you. He wanted to draw Sonny out." He took a breath to get past the pain. "Sonny finally showed up and convinced Sorel to let us go."

"So they're what?" Alexis asked. "Standing over there pointing guns at each other?" She noticed a look pass between Zander and her sister. She didn't like that look. "What? What's going on over there? Zander?"

It was Kristina who said, "Sonny's wearing with a bomb."

"WHAT!" Alexis yelled.

It was her mother's yell that brought Sam back downstairs. When she hit the landing she saw Zander, her mother pressing towels to his bleeding chest, and her aunt covered in blood. She froze. "Mommy?"

Alexis' head snapped towards the sound of her daughter's voice. "Go back upstairs, Samantha!" When she saw her daughter just starting there frozen in place, her eyes wide and her face pale, she yelled at Kristina. "Get her upstairs!"

But before Kristina could move Sam dashed back up the stairs only to return moments later with the first aid kit and larger towels. She handed the towels to her mother. "What's going on?"

"Thank you baby." Alexis said as she took the items Sam brought her. "Now please, get back upstairs and stay in my room until I come get you!"

Kristina came over and took her niece's hand. "Come on little bit. It's going to be ok."

Just as the teen and little girl got to the bottom of the stairs there was an explosion. The door blew in, the whole floor of the building shook, Sam screamed as she and Kristina were thrown across the room. Thick acid tasting smoke quickly filled the air. Alexis' ears were ringing and she was coughing hard. She'd been thrown back, but once the shock and daze wore off she started screaming, "Samantha! Kristina! Zander!"

"I'm fine." Zander called out first.

"Mommy!" Sam screamed in reply.

"Over here." Kristina couched out.

Alexis made her way over to her sister and daughter. Once she found them she pulled them both into her arms. "Are you two alright?" She squinted so she could see through the smoke so she could look them over herself.

"Yeah, I think so." Kristina replied as she looked at her trembling niece. "What about you Sammie?"

Sam nodded. "I think so too."

"We're still getting you both checked out." Alexis told them as she moved them over to the couch.

"Alexis!" Jax yelled out. He'd been coming over to see them when he saw the police, paramedics, and fire department. He rode up in the elevator, which surprisingly still worked, with the paramedics. "Alexis!"

"In here!" Alexis yelled back. "In here! We have a gun shot to the chest and we were all in the blast!"

Jax rushed in, took note of the damage, but focused on Alexis and the girls. The paramedics came in behind him and went right to Zander. Everything was in chaos. More paramedics, police, firemen all came up and were going between the two penthouses. Everyone was asking questions but the only thing Alexis had on her mind was getting everyone to the hospital. Finally after one more cop asked her what happened she snapped into lawyer mode and chewed them all out, telling them they could ask their damn questions once everyone had been seen by a doctor.

While Zander was in surgery with Monica, Alan and Steve looked over Alexis, Sam and Kristina. Despite the fact that the girls were thrown across the room they came away from it with some heat blisters, bruises and cuts, while Alexis managed to sprain her wrist. Alexis, being the slight neurotic she was, had no problem when Alan said he'd like to keep the girls overnight for observation since they'd both hit their heads when they landed. Alexis, being the slight control freak she was, put up a bigger fight when he wanted to admit her as well. She needed to be able to stay with her girls and check on Zander. She was fine, she hadn't hit her head, and if something did happen she was in a hospital, she didn't have to be in a bed to be watched.

Alexis was standing in the hall waiting for the nurses to finish settling the girls into their room when she saw him suddenly appear. He stood there with his hair disheveled, his clothes rumbled, and a bleeding scratched on his face. He looked like he'd just come from having rough sex, not from an explosion he caused. The fact that Sonny was unscathed only made Alexis' anger worse. She walked up to him, her emotions playing out in her eyes like a film on a screen, and when she reached him she hit him as hard as she could with the hand that wasn't in a sling. "What the hell is wrong with you!" She screamed. "My baby was in that apartment!" She hit him again. "You set off a fucking bomb with my baby across the fucking hall! You sick fucking bastard!"

Everyone in the hall was stunned. No one had ever heard Alexis go off like that before, and no one had ever seen Sonny take it. She went to hit him again but Jax ran up and grabbed her. He held her close and glared at Sonny as if he were trying to make his head explode.

"Are they ok?" Sonny asked as he looked into Alexis' eyes as if she hadn't just been whaling on him.

Sonny's calm tone shocked Alexis enough for her to spit out, "They're fine, not thanks to you."

"Zander?" He asked, still using that calm, distant tone.

"Still in surgery." Alexis replied. She shook her head as angry tears rolled down her dust and dirt tinted cheeks. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Sonny didn't have an answer to that. All he said was, "I'm sorry."

Alexis watched in stunned anger as he walked away. She'd seen the hurt, concern, and regret in his eyes, but this had been the last straw. His erratic and insane behavior had put her child and her sister in danger. Alexis Davis was done with Sonny Corinthos.

Once she was calmer and back in control of her emotions Alexis went into the room that her daughter and sister were sharing. She went over and hugged Kristina before going to Sam's bed. As soon as she sat on it the girl crawled into her lap. "Hey my little princess." She said soothingly. "It's ok. Everyone's just fine."

"What about Zander?" Sam asked as she clung to her mom.

"He's still in surgery." Alexis said honestly. "But he's in good hands with Dr. Quartermain."

Sam closed her eyes for a moment but as soon as she did she could see Zander bleeding on the couch and the blinding light of the explosion. Her eyes flew open and her body trembled. She felt her mom hold her a little more tightly and that helped. It helped even more when her mother softly sang to her. Her mother wasn't much of singer but the old song made Sam feel safe and comforted. When she was feeling better she said, "Mommy."

"Yes baby?" Alexis replied.

Sam smirked. "I like when you sing to me, but you should keep your day job and leave the singing to Yaya and Krissy."

"You little wise cracker." Alexis teased as she laughed.

"She has a point." Kristina replied while laughing as well.

Alexis looked at her sister and then her daughter and gave off a little prayer of thanks that her girls were all right. She wouldn't know how to live without them.

As soon as the girls were asleep Alexis set about cutting all ties with Sonny. She'd gotten sucked into his world on a legal whim, and then they'd become friends, but friend or not he was not a person she wanted in her life anymore. Her and the girls were tainted by his world just by living in Port Charles; she wasn't going to be the reason they drowned in it.


	28. Chapter 28

Because the lakehouse wouldn't be ready for another week or two Alexis, Kristina, and Sam moved into Windermere. Sam didn't mind because it gave her more chances to explore, but she couldn't help but notice how different living in the old castle was to living in a normal place. It was so much more formal and kind of strange having servants. She liked being around Nikolas more too. The two took turns doing things the other liked and were quickly becoming close. The one thing Sam didn't like at all was the fact that being at Windermere didn't keep the nightmares away. She dreamed about the explosion just about every night since she and Kristina had been discharged from the hospital.

They were always different, but always had the same factors. Sometimes she saw it just as it happened, with Zander bleeding on the couch, her mother's hands covered in his blood, the heat and sound from the explosion. Sometimes it was her mother with the gapping wound, sometimes it was Kristina; sometimes it was Jax's hands covered in blood, and sometimes it was her own. It was the same for the explosion, sometimes she and Kristina were hurt badly, and sometimes someone died. The sun was just peeking above the horizon when Sam startled awake from her latest version of her troublesome dreams. She took in several hurried breaths as she looked around the dark and foreboding room. She started to relax a little as she slowly realized where she was and that she was awake and safe.

Deciding that she didn't want to go back to sleep Sam slid out of the massive bed that was almost to high for her to get into on her own. She threw on a pair of sweat pants, a pair of sneakers, and grabbed her jacket before padding out of her room and down the long dark hall. The house was cold this early in the morning because no one but the servants were up, and they were most likely in the kitchen and sitting room where the family would have breakfast. Sam thought about going into her mother's room and crawling into bed with her but decided that she'd let her mother sleep. So she went downstairs and out into one of the gardens thinking that she'd watch the sun come up over the water. From the garden she could see torchlight and wondered who was down at the cove.

Sam stood out of sight as she watched her uncle carefully. She wasn't sure what he was doing but whatever it was, it had put a very peaceful look on his face. It wasn't a look she was familiar with because her uncle always looked rather serious. She was so engrossed in watching him that when he spoke she jumped with a little yelp.

"What are you doing up so early Samantha?" Stefan asked without opening his eyes or stopping his movements.

"I, um, I," She swallowed against a suddenly dry throat. When he finally stopped and looked at her with that peaceful expression and warm gray-green eyes she spit out. "I had a bad dream."

Stefan nodded. He walked over to a stone bench and sat down while motioning her to join him. "About what happened at the penthouse?" It wasn't a question really. He and Alexis were both aware of the child's restless nights.

Sam nodded. "Yeah." She came over and sat beside her uncle. "And about what happened to Zander."

"Sometimes things happen to us that our minds can't completely process while we are awake." Stefan explained. "So it uses the time when we are asleep and less mentally active to sort it all out. That's what yours is trying to do with the dreams, Samantha. You saw and experienced things that a child shouldn't have to see or experience."

"Well," She sighed. "I wish it would hurry up and sort it all out because I'm tried of the dreams. I'd like to get back to my gummy bear wars."

Stefan raised an eyebrow for a moment, he thought of asking about these gummy bear wars, but he stayed focused on the matter at hand. Stefan thought for a moment and then asked, "Do you have any questions about what happened? Perhaps you can't put it all to rest because there is something left unclear."

Sam looked up at her uncle as she thought about it. She did have a question or two but she didn't feel right about asking her mother. Alexis had been angry about what happened, and then the guilt had settled in. Sam didn't want to push any buttons and upset her mom. "Why did that Sorel man shoot Zander?"

"Because Zander once worked for him." Stefan answered honestly. He knew his sister wouldn't like that he had, but he felt that the girl needed to know certain truths to help her put this behind her. "Zander stopped working for him, but in that particular field of work leaving is not seen favorably. Sorel felt betrayed by Zander and as punishment for leaving he shot Zander."

It took a little longer to process what her uncle said than it would have if she'd asked her mother, because her uncle had a very different style of saying things, but in the end she got it. "So it was kind of like Zander was in his gang and he wanted out. The only way out of a gang is to get jumped out or to die."

"Sorel's business is far more then just a youth's street gang." Stefan replied. "But yes, in a manner of speaking the principals are correct."

Sam connected some dots and her big brown eyes went a little wide. "You mean Sorel was in the mob? Does that mean Sonny's in the mob too?"

Stefan raised an eyebrow in question as to how she knew of the mob.

"Cody was a conman, remember." Sam answered the unspoken question. "He had to know who was in charge of wherever we were. A lot of those guys don't like it when conmen try working their turf." Sam sighed then and looked down at her hands. "I know a lot of stuff that a kid my age shouldn't."

Stefan picked the girl up and placed her on his lap. "Yes, you do." He told her honestly. "But what matters now is how you will use that knowledge and those skills in the future. They give you a uniqueness that others won't have."

Sam smiled a little at that. "You make it sound like it isn't a bad thing."

"Because it isn't." Stefan reassured. "It's a part of what makes you Samantha and there isn't anything bad about you."

That made Sam's smile brighten. There were times in her new life that she truly regretted her old one because she was scared that someday her mother would be ashamed of her for it. To hear her uncle say she wasn't bad for doing bad things put her at ease. Her smile faulted a little when Sam thought of something else to ask. "Uncle Stefan, if Sonny's in the mob, why was Mom working for him?"

That Stefan had to think about for a moment. Like Jax, he was not happy with Alexis' choice to represent Sonny Corinthos. "You're mother is a very good attorney because she believes in the system she represents. There are those out there who will use and abuse that system for their own personal gain and that is something that makes your mother angry. She worked for Mr. Corinthos because there are a lot of those people out there who try to bend things their way in order to bring him to their version of justice. She in no way condoned his activities, but rather argued for his rights as they stood legally."

Again it took Sam a moment to decipher her uncle's words and then she said, "She doesn't like what he does, but she really doesn't like what people think they can do to him just because of who he is and what he does."

Stefan smiled at his niece. "Exactly."

"She isn't working for him anymore." Sam informed her uncle. "I heard her yelling at him over the phone. She told him her decision was final and to stop calling her." She paused for a moment and then clarified. "I wasn't listening or anything she was really upset and really loud."

"There is finally something in Alexis' life that she believes in more then her precious legal system." Stefan told his niece as he titled her head up.

"What?" Sam asked.

"You." Stefan replied. "You my dear have brought a new spark to a very old family."

Sam smiled at that and then hugged her uncle's neck. "I like you too, Uncle." When she released him she asked, "What was that you were doing before?"

"It's called Tai Chi Chuan." He explained, his heart soaring because of the hug. "It's a form of martial arts."

"Really?" Sam looked a little surprised. "It seemed kind of peaceful looking to be all kung fu and stuff."

Stefan couldn't help but laugh. "Kung fu is something totally different. Tai Chi, though it's movements can be used in self-defensive, is more about the mind and spirit then the ability to fight. It helps me to keep myself centered, my mind clear and focused, and my body in tuned with my mind."

Sam thought about it for a moment and then asked, "Since we have to wait until spring for sailing lessons, can you teach me that while we wait?"

"I'd be honored too, Samantha." Stefan replied with a warm smile and sparkling eyes.

Alexis was starting to freak out. When she'd gotten up she'd gone to check on Sam and Kristina. Her sister was still sound asleep but her daughter was nowhere to be found. She was close to hyperventilating when Sam finally walked into the room. "Samantha!" Alexis scolded. "Where were you young lady? Where you outside? Samantha! It's still dark and it's cold out there!"

"Mom, chill. I was with Uncle Stefan." Sam replied as she looked at her mother oddly. She hadn't expected to be gone so long, and it hadn't occurred to her that finding her gone would upset her mother. "I had another bad dream and didn't want to wake you so I was going to watch the sun come up from the garden. I saw him and went and talked to him. I'm sorry I scared you."

Alexis' anger melted away as she pulled her little girl into her arms. "Next time Samantha, wake me, or the very lest leave me a note or something."

"Sorry." Sam repeated. "I'm hungry, is breakfast ready?"

"Yes." Alexis replied with a roll of her eyes as she let her girl go. "It's all set up. Go eat and then get ready for the day. You and Nikolas have a new lesson this morning. I'll be down shortly. I need to get your aunt up." She sent her off with a swat to her bottom.

An hour after breakfast was finished Alexis walked Sam and Nikolas to the small ballroom. Nikolas knew what was about to happen but Sam was clueless. It took several minutes for her mother to gain her attention long enough to explain. She'd been in awe of the room it's self and had wandered off several times to explore it. When Alexis was finally able to rope her in she explained that she and Nikolas would be taking dancing lessons. When Sam asked why, Nikolas answered with, "Because it's expected of us." That answer hadn't sat well with Sam, but she didn't get a chance to ask again. Their instructor showed up and put on the first bit of music. They would first learn how to waltz.

"Samantha!" Nikolas said in frustration. "Stop stepping on my toes!"

Sam huffed. "Well if you didn't have such big feet!"

"I don't have big feet!" Nikolas argued back.

From the doorway Alexis had watched the whole time. She smiled when she felt her brother join her and together they watched their children bicker and stumble their way through their first lesson. When their instructor said it was time for a break both children made a beeline for their parents.

"Mom!" Sam protested. "This is stupid! Why do we have to learn to dance like this?" She then pointed a threatening finger, in a very Davis like manner, at her cousin. "If you say because it's expected of us I'll pop you."

"But it is expected of you Samantha." Stefan spoke up.

Sam glared and pouted at her uncle. She couldn't pop him. "Why?"

"Because our family attends many functions in which this style of dancing is involved." He explained. "We are royal, remember, and for many, many generations our children have learned not only the more classical styles of dance, but also some folk dances as well." He then gave her a warm smile. "And believe it or not little one, it's fun."

Sam gave her uncle a skeptical look about it being fun. Then something he said touched the very small girly part of her that seemed to be growing more and more with each passing day since she'd found out she was a real live princess. "You mean we'll get to go to balls and stuff?"

Stefan nodded with a warm, knowing smile.

"What kind of balls?" Sam asked. "Why do real people have balls?"

"Well, for example, when you're a beautiful and brilliant grown woman and you agree to marry the man you love." Though there would never be a man good enough for his niece. "You're mother and I will throw you a very special ball called a bacchanalia."

Sam looked as if somehow that word hurt to say. "A backawhat?"

Stefan chuckled. "A bacchanalia. It's a masked ball to celebrate the engagement of one's child to their beloved."

"Oh." Sam said as a bright smiled played at her lip. A ball just for her? That sounded really cool. "So Nikolas will get one when he asks a girl to marry him?" Her uncle nodded. "And when my Mom and Jax get engaged, they'll have one?"

"Hold it little miss princess." Alexis jumped in before Stefan could reply. "There isn't going to be any Mom and Jax and getting married." Again, she thought to herself. "We're perfectly happy with the way things are."

Sam frowned at that. Stefan noticed the looks on the faces of mother and daughter and decided to change the subject. "Perhaps you'll both be able to grasp the concepts if you see them done correctly for yourselves." He stepped back and turned to his sister. He bowed to her and held out his hand as he asked, "Dearest sister would you do me the honor of a dance?"

Alexis' smiled brightly as she accepted Stefan's hand. She was more then happy to get off the Jax and marriage train. Besides, she couldn't remember the last time she'd danced with her brother. "I would be delighted dear brother."

Both children rolled their eyes but as the music began to play and Stefan and Alexis began to waltz around the room, they soon became transfixed. Sam was beaming as she watched her mother. There was a brightness in Alexis' eyes, and her smile, that simply made the girl light up herself. There was also a look of enjoyment on her uncle's face that she wished, like the peaceful look of this morning, she could see more often. When their parents' waltz was finished their instructor asked if perhaps Stefan would practice with Sam and Alexis with Nikolas. They agreed and the rest of the lesson went on much more smoothly.

When their lesson was over and lunch eaten Sam and Nikolas were allowed to spend the rest of the afternoon as they pleased, so they headed outside to play. Sam wanted to pretend to be Xena and Hercules but Nikolas refused because the T.V. partial of Hercules was a joke. Nikolas wanted to go riding, but Sam still wasn't sure how she felt about horses. After a short argument they agreed to be pirates and then Power Rangers.

That night after her bath and while she waited on her mom to come tuck her in Sam was sitting up in bed reading a comic book when there was a knock on her door. When her mother didn't come right in she looked puzzled. "Come in?"

Stefan came into the room with a warm smile. "I hope I'm not disturbing you."

Sam returned the smile. "No, I was just reading until Mom comes in."

"I've brought you something." Stefan said as he produced a medallion from his pocket. He held it out for her to examine. It was a Greek figure surrounded by poppy flowers. "Morpheus is the Greek God of Dreams." He explained. "It is said that he is the son of Nyx Goddess of Night and Hypnos God of Sleep. He was the oldest brother of triplet sons and much stronger than his brothers Icelus and Phantasos. He was the master of the land of dreams and controlled the dreams of not only humans but the gods as well." He took the medallion when Sam was finished looking at it and put it around her neck. "Morpheus can not stop all of your nightmares but he can protect you while you dream. Even if the dream is bad he will be there to control it and keep you safe until Electryone Goddess of Morning comes to awaken you."

Sam was touched by her uncle's caring and enthrall by his story. When he was finished she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. "Thank you Uncle."

"You're very welcome little princess." Stefan replied. When she let him go he leaned down and placed a kiss on her head before standing. "Goodnight Samantha. Sweet dreams."

"Goodnight Uncle." Sam replied. "I love you."

Stefan paused a moment, caught of guard by the child's open declaration, then turned to her and replied, "I love you as well Samantha."

Alexis had tears in her eyes and a smile on her lips as her brother passed her in the doorway. She stopped him long enough to place a kiss on his cheek before going in to tuck her little girl in for the night.

The next morning after Tai Chi and breakfast Stefan gathered up his niece and nephew and heading into town. He knew both children were found of films so he rented a small movie theater, and it's staff, for the day. He was going to introduce them, and swear them to secrecy, to his guilt pleasure; Bruce Lee movies.


	29. Chapter 29

There was only so much teasing a kid could take, and Sam could only take about half of that. Since the first day of school Tina Mitchell and her gaggle of giggling gooses picked on Sam about everything, but their favorite thing to pick on her for was being the smallest kid in their class. Sam wasn't the type of kid to go running to an adult because she was being teased. No she was more the kind of kid who held it all in and then let it all out all over Tina Mitchell's face. Sam was also a smart kid so she knew better then to get into a fight at school. She waited until Friday afternoon when she knew for a fact that Tina, her minions, and most of their class were going to be sledding at the park.

"Hey Mitchell!" Sam called out as she approached the group.

The girl looked up and narrowed her eyes at Sam. Tina was tall and a little heavy for her age, making her bigger then Sam. "Hey look at that it's a talking garden gnome!" The other girls around Tina laughed before Tina asked, "What do you want Davis?"

Sam stepped up to the girl. "I told you at lunch yesterday that if you didn't back the hell off I was going to kick your ass!"

Tina laughed. "What are you going to do Smurfette punch me in the knee caps?"

That was it; Sam couldn't take any more of the smug, conceited, mean girl. Sam lunged at Tina, catching the other girl off guard at first, but it didn't take Tina long to figure out what was going on. The two ten year olds rolled around in the snow for several minutes throwing punches and pulling hair before Sam got the upper hand. She pinned Tina down and was sitting on her as she punch her. None of the other kids knew what to do other then watch. Sam would have continued to beat on the much bigger girl but she was suddenly picked up off the ground. Still in fight mode she started swigging.

"Easy there Slick." Luke said as he held her back. Looking at the other kids he said, "Move along small peoples. Nothing left to see here."

"Let me go!" Sam demanded as she struggled to get out of Luke's hold on her.

"You're going to pay for this Davis!" Tina yelled as her friends helped her up.

"Bring it on!" Sam yelled back. "I might be little but I just proved I can kick your ass!"

"And with that it's time to go." Luke said. "Come on slugger." He carried her off shaking his head and smirking. He took her back to his club, which was closed since it was the middle of the day. He sat her up on the bar while he called over his shoulder, "Hey Mike, can you find something to put on the slugger's eye?"

"Sure thing, Luke." Mike said with a grin.

Sam sat there still fuming with her arms crossed and an angry look.

Luke went behind the bar and dug around until he found a bottle of Lucky's root beer. He opened it and set it in front of his friend's daughter. "Rough day, Slick?"

Sam glared at her friend's dad. She snatched up the bottle of soda and took a swig. "Rough school year."

"Class bully?" Luke asked in his best bartender tone.

Sam nodded. "It sucks monkey balls being the smallest kid in your class."

"Ahh." Luke said with a knowing nod of his head and smirk on his lips. "You had to prove yourself. Let them all know that you're not one to be picked on just cause you're small."

"Damn straight." Sam said before taking another swig.

When Mike returned he had a small piece of raw meat. Luke took it from him and held it out to Sam. "Put this on that eye before it swells."

Sam looked at the meat and then at Luke like he was nuts. "That's raw."

"And ice cold." Luke replied. "It'll help the eye so just do it."

Sam glared at him but took the piece of meat and put it on her throbbing eye. "This is totally gross." She said before taking another swing of her soda. She glared at Luke with her one good eye before saying, "So are you going to call my Mom now and tell her about this?"

"Nope." Luke answered.

"You're not?" Sam asked in total surprise as her glare gave way to just plain staring.

Luke shook his head. "Nope, I'm not. You were defending yourself. Kids can be down right cruel and you had to take a stand. I get it."

"You do realize you're a grown up, right?" Sam asked the odd man. "You're not suppose to say fighting is a good thing."

That made Luke laugh. "Me? A grown up? Someone's spreading lies about me." Then he turned serious. "I didn't say it was a good thing. I said sometimes it's necessary but only as a last resort."

For the first time since lunch Sam smiled. She liked Luke. He wasn't like any of the other adults she knew, and there was something about him that was just familiar and comforting. She didn't know that Luke was a con in his own right. Once Luke was sure her eye wasn't going to swell he took her home to the lakehouse.

"Anyone home?" Sam yelled into the housed as she wiggled out of her coats and boots.

"In the kitchen!" Kristina called out.

Sam dropped her stuff by the front door and headed towards the sound of her aunt's voice. Since she was in her sock feet she ran and slid across the hardwood after jumping up the steps from the living room. Her mom didn't like when she slid around in her socks, but Sam loved it. She smiled when she saw Kristina starting to prepare dinner. "What are you making?"

"Pizza." Kristina answered as she looked up from chopping veggies. "Sam!" She gasped. "What happened to your eye!?"

"I, um, got hit in the eye." Sam replied quickly.

"Obviously." Kristina said as she went to her niece and gently titled her head back. "What happened, squirt?"

Normally Sam didn't mind when Kristina called her that or when Carly called her half pint, but she was feeling rather sensitive. "Don't call me that!" She hissed at the redhead as she jerked away from the teen's touch. "Where's my Mom?"

"She's still at the office." Kristina said as she looked at her niece with some concern. When the girl snapped at her Kristina jerked back as if she'd been bitten. Sam hadn't ever spoken to her or pulled away from her like that before. "What's going on Sammie?"

"Nothing." Sam replied and then walked out of the kitchen. She hadn't meant to snap at Kristina. She was feeling overly emotional with the teasing, the fight, and having to face her mother when Alexis came home and saw her eye. Heading down the hall she went to her room and flipped on her radio. She picked up her comic book and flopped down on her bed.

Despite being tired and having a slight headache Alexis couldn't help but smile as she stepped into her home. The house by the lake had been a perfect fit from the moment she and her girls moved in. It just felt right to all three of them and Sam had been so over the moon that she nearly floated around the house for the first week. Setting her brief case by the door she rolled her eyes at Sam's pile of stuff. She was going to have to remind her daughter about putting her things away properly again. As she hung up her coat she called out, "Offspring! Sibling! I'm home!"

"Hey." Kristina said as she came out of the kitchen a moment later drying her hands on a dishtowel.

Alexis smiled at her sister. "Something smells good."

"Ingrid's night off so I thought I'd make a pizza instead of us ordering one." Kristina replied with a weak but genuine smile. "How was your day?"

Alexis frowned. There was something about her sister's demeanor that didn't feel right. "What's wrong?"

Kristina frowned and then sighed softly. "Sammie. She came home in a really bad mood and she has a black eye."

"What?" Alexis asked clearly concerned. "What happened?"

Kristina shrugged. "She wouldn't tell me. She was fine one minute and then snippy the next. She's in her room."

Alexis nodded. She headed to her daughter's room and knocked on the door. "Sam, it's Mom." Then she opened the door and walked in. After turning off the radio she walked over and sat on the bed. "Want to talk about it?" She asked as she titled her daughter's head up and looked at the bruising on her daughter's eye.

Sam shook her head. No, she did not want to talk about it. She didn't want to tell her mother she'd gotten into a fight and she didn't want to lie, so it was safer to just stay quite.

"Samantha." Alexis said gently but firmly. "What happened to your eye?"

The look she was getting from her mother let Sam know that keeping quite wasn't an option. "I got hit in the eye."

"How did you get hit in the eye?" Alexis asked.

"Hard?" Sam offered.

"Samantha." Alexis warned, but before she could say anything further there was a knock on the door. She looked over to see Kristina stick her head in.

"I don't mean to interrupt." Kristina said apologetically. "But there's a parent, a Mrs. Mitchell on the phone, she's insisting on talking to you about Sam."

Alexis sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Tell her I'll call her back within the hour."

"Ok." Kristina said as she slipped back out of the room.

Once they were alone again Alexis turned to look at Sam who was now sitting up against her headboard. "Do you want to tell me what happened between you and Tina Mitchell before I talk to her mother?" Alexis knew that Sam and the other girl had been having issues so it wasn't much of a leap to figure out when Kristina said Mrs. Mitchell that Sam's eye had something to do with Tina. Sam just shook her head. "Sam." Again the girl just shook her head. Alexis sighed. "Alright, I would really like to hear your side of things before I speak to Mrs. Mitchell, but I'm not going to push it right this second. I want you to stay in your room until you're ready to talk to me." She gathered up her daughter's comics and put them and her gameboy in the desk drawer, making them off limits. "I'll be in the living room when you're ready to talk."

Alexis had just sat down when the phone rang. She sighed as she picked it up. She had a pretty good idea that she wasn't going to get the hour she'd asked for. "Hello?" She paused. "Yes, this is she. No, I was not aware of that. Is Tina alright?" She listened and rolled her eyes. "Well I would hardly… No of course not. I don't condone fighting…." Alexis sighed and rolled her eyes again. "I hardly think it was unprovoked. What do I mean? I mean, Mrs. Mitchell, that if my daughter did as you say jump your daughter then she had a reason." Another sigh, another eye roll, and now Alexis was pinching the bridge of her nose. When she'd had enough she said, cutting off the other woman's rant, "Thank you for calling Mrs. Mitchell I will speak to Samantha about what happened. Do have a pleasant evening."

"What an insufferable woman!" Alexis huffed after hanging up the phone and tossing it away.

"What happened?" Kristina asked.

"Sam beat up a kid at the park." Alexis answered as she stood up. She walked back to her daughter's room again, knocked and opened the door. Her headache got a lot worse when she found it empty and Sam's window open. "Not again."

Sam needed to think so after her mother left she'd slipped out of her room and walked down to the lake. She stood there skipping stones and listening to the water washing up on the shore. She knew she should just tell her mom what happened but she didn't want to make her mom mad at her. Plus, she felt as if she did the only thing she could so it would be hard for her to show any kind of remorse. Tina needed her butt kicked, so Sam did it, and she'd do it again. After throwing a few more stones Sam decided to head back up to the house.

Alexis was just coming out of the house to look for her daughter when Sam came walking up the lake path. She stood on the pouch with her arms crossed. "Samantha Kristen Davis!"

Sam's eyes went huge. "Um, hi Mom."

"Don't you hi mom me." Alexis said sternly as the girl approached her. "Didn't we already deal with you sneaking out like this?"

"I, well, um, yeah." Sam replied as she dropped her head.

Alexis sighed and shook her head as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Inside. Now." As her daughter passed by her Alexis landed a swat on her bottom before following her inside. "I don't even know where to start." She told her daughter as she watched Sam sit on the couch. "With the fight or you sneaking off."

Sam flinched when her mother brought up the fight. Looked like she'd spoken to Tina's mom, which of course meant she had the wrong idea. Thinking this made Sam defensive. She looked up at her mom as she snapped, "She deserved a beat down! She's mean and stupid and makes fun of everyone! Someone needed to be put her in her place!"

"Don't raise your voice at me Samantha." Alexis warned. She walked over and sat on the coffee table across from her daughter on the couch. "Tell me what happened and start at the beginning."

The girl knew this wasn't a request but a demand. Sam sighed. "I got tired of her picking on me. I warned her yesterday that if she didn't stop I'd make her stop. She didn't stop, so I kept my promise."

"Samantha." Alexis sighed and shook her head. "Beating someone up is not how we deal with our problems. You should have gone to a teacher or come to me about the teasing. What is she teasing you about?"

"Everything." Sam said. "Anything. Mostly about me being short."

"You're not short." Alexis replied as she titled Sam's head up. "You're petite."

Sam rolled her eyes.

"Sam." Alexis went on. "Kids will always find something to pick on each other for. There will always be this issue or that. There is always going to be the queen bee type. You cannot handle these issues by fighting. You cannot fix you're problems with violence. All that does, more often then not, is make matters that much worse."

"I took a stand." Sam argued. "I showed them that just because I'm little they can't pick on me."

"You showed them that if they push hard enough they can set you off." Alexis countered. "And if they can set you off they can get you into more trouble." She paused a moment before going on. "There are better ways to handle things, Sam. If the teasing continues I want you to come to me and talk to me. Understand?"

"Yes." Sam mumbled.

"No more fighting, understand?" Alexis asked next.

"Yes." Sam mumbled again.

"Now, why did you sneak out of your room?" Alexis asked.

Sam looked up. This one she didn't mind answering. "I just needed to think. I like being by the lake. It makes me feel better."

"It's calming." Alexis said with nod of understanding. "Sam, you know how I feel about you sneaking out. Next time you feel like you need some space, some room to breath, and want to go down by the lake I want you to ask me, understand?"

Sam moaned softly but nodded. "Yes."

Alexis nodded. "You're grounded until further notice."

"Mom!" Sam protested.

Alexis shook her head. "Fighting, beating someone up, that kind of violence is unacceptable Samantha." When it was clear she wasn't going to get a reaction from her daughter Alexis sighed. "Dinner will be ready soon. Wash up and help Kristina set the table."

Sam nodded as she stood up and quickly left the room. She didn't say a word as she helped Kristina set the table, but she could feel the teen watching her.

"Ranga." Kristina suddenly said as she set the napkins on the table.

"What?" Sam asked as she looked up at her aunt with a confused expression.

Kristina gave the girl a little smile. "That's what the kids in junior high use to call me."

"What the heck is Ranga?" Sam asked as she set down the plates.

"It's short for orangutan." Kristina explained. "It was a little more clever than carrot top."

Sam looked confused for a few more seconds before it finally clicked. "You mean those orange monkeys at the zoo?" Her aunt nodded. "Oh, they called you that because of your hair?"

Again Kristina nodded. "All during elementary school and junior high I was picked on for the color of my hair."

"What about now?" Sam asked as she got the glasses and Kristina the pitcher of tea.

"No, not so much." Kristina answered. "High school has it's own set of issues." She looked up at her niece while they waited for Alexis. "It gets better, Sam.

"But there's always going to be bullies." Sam pointed out.

Kristina nodded. "Yeah, that's true, but you have to keep in mind that bullies are made not born. Try to understand that there's something going on in that other kid's life that makes them the way they are."

Sam thought about that while Kristina cut the pizza into slices. "So I'm just suppose to let them walk all over me?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying." Kristina said. "You need to stand up for yourself. You just need to have a little compassion while doing it."

Sam was quite as she put the salad on the table. Then she looked up at her aunt. "Sorry about before."

Kristina smiled. "Forgiven."

When Alexis joined them Sam had a very thoughtful look on her face and it made her smile thankfully at her sister. She knew that Kristina had been talking to the girl and she hoped that she was able to talk to her in a way she couldn't. Alexis didn't have the same childhood experiences that Sam would have, so she didn't really have the background to draw from as Sam went through her childhood. She was glad she had Kristina around to fill in the blanks for her.

When Monday rolled around Sam tried to keep in mind everything her mother and aunt told her, but as she watched Tina come towards her she wasn't sure she could hold back if the other girl started in on her. Sam stood with her arms crossed over her chest. She stared Tina down. The two girls glared at each other, neither flinching, and the whole class waiting for something, anything to happen. In the end Tina backed down first, and Sam smirked. She kept what her mother and aunt said in her mind, but what really kept Sam from doing something more drastic was the sound of her Uncle Stefan telling her that a Cassadine could stop someone with a simple look. Sam was beaming as she took her seat.


	30. Chapter 30

Carly was laughing as she and Zander walked down the street with hands wrapped around to-go cups full of hot chocolate. They had been on their first actual date and it had gone really well despite Carly's apprehension. When Zander said he wanted to take her ice skating Carly suddenly started picturing herself re-breaking her wrist or cracking her head open on the ice. When he picked her up at the brownstone she had tried to talk him out of it, arguing that she was born and until recently raised in Florida, what the hell did she know about cold weather sports? What did she know about sports at all? She wasn't the athletic type. Zander however held firm and swore to her that she'd have fun.

"Well?" He asked as he walked her home.

"Well what?" Carly asked in return. She knew what he was getting at but she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of saying anything out loud.

Zander gave her his lopsided smirk as he asked, "Did you have fun?" Carly made a face that made Zander laugh. "Come on, just say it! I know you did!"

Carly batted at Zander's hand as he tried to playfully poke her in the side. "Ok, ok, I had fun!" She laughed. "It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be."

The look on Zander's face showed his pride and triumph. He had wanted to show Carly a good time, he'd wanted her to have some fun. She'd been pretty limited in what she could do with a cast on her wrist, and she'd been on an emotional roller coaster following the accident. Hearing that Sam had nearly been blown up and Zander being shot hadn't help matters.

Carly smacked him on the arm. "Don't look so smug!" She teased. "Even you have to be right once in while."

Zander laughed. "I'll have you on the ice playing hockey in no time."

"That's a big fat not a chance." Carly replied as they stopped in front of the brownstone. The two teens sat on the top step after sweeping away some snow. They chatted for a while before Carly headed inside. She paused by the door with a smile and then leaned in and kissed Zander on the lips before slipping inside.

"How was the ice skating?" Tony asked from the sofa when Carly came in.

Carly was trying really hard with Tony for Bobbie's sake so she came into the living room and curled up in her favorite chair. "It was surprisingly fun." There was a smile on her lips that remained even as she said, "But I think I'm going to be really sore tomorrow."

Tony smiled a little at the girl's smile; it was Bobbie's smile. "Do you think you'll give it another try?"

"Maybe." Carly replied. "I mean it was a lot of fun, but I could live without all the falling down."

Tony chuckled. "That's part of the process. Just remember to be careful. If you break something your Mom will have a cow."

That got a chuckle from Carly. "Yeah."

"Are you hungry?" Tony asked after a bit of a pause. "There are some leftovers from dinner."

Carly shook her head. "No, we ate at Kelly's, but thanks. Where's Bobbie?" Since the accident Carly called Bobbie Mama when they were together and around people like Sam and Alexis, but it was a really personal thing for Carly and she just wasn't comfortable saying it with Tony.

"Double shift." Tony explained. "She'll be home late."

Carly was a little disappointed. She'd wanted to tell Bobbie about her afternoon and evening. "Oh. Well, I'm going upstairs to call Krissy." She gave Tony a small smile and then headed up to her room to call her friend. After walking in and closing the door behind her she yelped when she saw someone standing in the corner of her room. "Jason! What the hell!"

"Sorry." Jason said as he held up his hands to show he meant no harm. "Didn't mean to scare you."

"What are you doing here?" Carly asked. Since the accident she and Jason had been spending more time together. The Quartermains were being really pushy and Jason needed someone to turn too, someone who didn't expect him to be someone he wasn't anymore. Only part of his memory had come back since his release from the hospital. He remembered his parents, but he'd lost any real emotional connection to them. He'd lost any real emotional connection to almost everyone but his grandmother and sister. It wasn't that his emotions were gone, they were still there; it was just that the pathways that connected them to memories and such were damaged. And what was there was overshadowed by his anger, and his lack of impulse control.

"I had to get out of there." Jason replied. "Alan and Edward just wouldn't stop."

Carly nodded in understanding and then asked, "How did you get in here?"

"Side door, up the backstairs." Jason replied. "You don't mind do you?"

"Of course I don't." Carly replied as she sat on her bed and looked up at him. "Are they still trying to make you remember?"

Jason nodded as he sat in the chair across from her bed. "They don't understand when I tell them I'm not the boy they remember. I look around his room, I look at his pictures, and I don't see me in him at all."

"I guess that would be hard for them." Carly said carefully. "But it's harder on you."

Jason just shrugged.

Carly was about to say something when there was a knock on her door and Tony's voice. "Carly."

She motioned Jason to hide. "Just a sec!" She called out. "I'm changing." She added as she quickly kicked off her shoes, shoved out of her jeans, and pulled her sweater over her head. She pulled on a pair of sweats and was about to put on a t-shirt when her door opened. "Hey!"

"Sorry!" Tony said as he quickly closed the door. "Monica called. She's looking for Jason."

"So you decided to check my bedroom!" Carly yelled at him as she pulled on the t-shirt. Once she was dressed she walked over and swung her door open. "You have no right to just open my door and walk into my room!"

"I'm sorry." Tony replied. "I thought…."

"What?" Carly said angrily. "That I was hiding Jason Quartermain in my room?" Jason was under her bed where he couldn't be seen so she flung the door wide open. "Do you see him? I told you I was changing!"

Tony was a bit flustered. He thought he'd heard talking as he approached her room. "I'm sorry Carly. I shouldn't have just walked in like that."

"No, you shouldn't have." Carly replied. "Because you're not Bobbie and your not my father, and even if you were you're a guy, you don't walk into a teenage girl's bedroom. What the hell is wrong with you?"

Tony narrowed his eyes at the girl. "Watch it, Carly. I said I was sorry. I didn't mean anything. I thought I heard voices…"

"Maybe you should see Dr. Collins about that." Carly sniped.

Tony sighed. "Do you know where Jason is?"

"I was out with Zander all afternoon." Carly answered. "I've been home for what fifteen minutes? How the hell am I suppose to know where he is? Now if you don't mind I would like to call Kristina and then I have some reading to do."

Tony eyed her for a few seconds before leaving.

Carly sighed and shook her head. It was always like that with her and her mother's husband. One minute they'd have a friendly moment and then the next they'd be at each other. Once Tony was gone Carly closed her door and locked it. Then she turned her radio on low just for the sound in case someone decided to listen as they came close to her door. Then she called out, "Ok, you can come out."

Jason came out from under her bed and dusted himself off. "I didn't mean to get you in trouble."

"I'm not." Carly replied as she sat on her bed again. "And he doesn't matter anyway. He's just my Mama's husband."

Jason gave her a bit of a nod before saying, "I should go before Bobbie comes home."

Carly smirked at him. "Still crushing on her?" Her smile brightened when he blushed. "I can't believe you hit on my Mom!"

"I didn't know who she was." Jason defended himself. "I didn't remember her when I did that."

"Don't worry about it." Carly chuckled. "I think she found it kind of flattering. She's working a double shift, you don't have to leave yet"

"Ok." Jason replied. He stuck around until it was nearly time for Bobbie to come home. "I should go."

Carly nodded. She knew that if Bobbie found him here she'd call his parents. "Are you going back to the Q's?"

Jason shook his head. "I can't. Not right now. I can be gone for twenty-four hours before they call in the cops. I just need some space."

Carly nodded. "Be careful."

Jason nodded. "Don't worry. I'll call you."

An hour after Jason left there was a knock on Carly's door. "Come in." She called out as she looked up from her book. She smiled when her mom walked in. "Hey."

"Hey." Bobbie replied as she walked over and sat on her daughter's bed. "You're still up."

Carly nodded. "I was waiting up." She admitted with a slight blush. "I was kind of hoping we could talk."

"So was I." Bobbie replied with a slightly raised brow.

The teen groaned. "Tony told you I blew up at him." Her mother nodded. "Did he also tell you that he walked in on me changing?"

"He did." Bobbie replied. "And he realizes that he can't do that with you."

"It was embarrassing Mama." Carly told her. "And really uncomfortable."

Bobbie nodded. "I understand, and so does Tony."

"Does he?" Carly frowned.

Bobbie reached out and tucked some hair behind her daughter's ear. "You don't have to be afraid of Tony, honey."

"I didn't say I was!" Carly said defensively and then eased back a little as she added, "I just don't trust him."

"Why?" Bobbie asked.

Carly shrugged. "I just don't. Besides, he doesn't trust me. He came busting in here because he thought I was harboring Jason when all I was doing was changing my clothes."

Bobbie watched her daughter carefully. They had gotten much closer since the accident. They'd both realized that wasting time wasn't a good idea because you don't really know how much time you'll have. Since the accident Bobbie had become a little more comfortable with asking about Carly's past, and surprisingly Carly had become more at ease with answering. "Were you close to your Dad?"

For a moment Carly went stiff when Bobbie asked about her Dad. Bobbie must have noticed because now she was doing that comforting touch thing that melted Carly into a puddle. "Not really. He was gone a lot for work."

"What kind of work did he do?" Bobbie asked gently.

"Whatever he could get." Carly answered. "Lumber, construction, truck driving, migrant field work. He'd go where the work was and send the money back to us."

Bobbie had had a feeling it was something like that. Carly didn't know what it meant to have a father around, so she didn't know how to deal with Tony. Then again Tony wasn't really helping matters. He was uncomfortable having Carly around. He still treated her more like a guest in their home rather then her child. It didn't help matters that behind closed doors they were having marriage issues, but they tried hard not to let that have any effect on the children. "What about your Mom?"

"She was a hostess at a restaurant." Carly replied and then smiled softly. "I think she would have loved Ruby."

That made Bobbie smile as she caressed Carly's cheek. "I bet they would have been great friends."

Bobbie moved so that she was sitting beside Carly on the bed, both of them sitting with their backs against the headboard. Carly told Bobbie more about her adoptive parents, and Bobbie told her daughter a little about her grandmother. Bobbie never talked about her own father, but Carly had been able to get a few bits of information from Laura, so she knew asking Bobbie about him was a bad idea. Then they talked about Carly's afternoon with Zander. Before they knew it, it was after one in the morning and Carly had dozed off on her mother's shoulder. Bobbie simply sat there for a while taking her daughter in, playing gently with her hair, and giving a prayer of thanks for having the girl back in her life.


	31. Chapter 31

Alexis paced back and forth while she waited for her brother to get off the phone. As she paced she bit her lip and fidgeted with her glasses. Stefan had called her over to discuss business and one of those business matters was Helena. When her brother hung up from his call she turned to look at him. "Are you sure there's no sign of her?"

Stefan shook his head. "She's completely fallen off the face of the earth. There hasn't even been any activity on her accounts."

"What does that mean Stefan?" Alexis asked with concern. "What is she up too?"

"I don't know." Stefan said as he got up and walked over to her. "What I do know is that I won't allow her to harm the children. I will continue to look for Helena. I promise." When Alexis looked a little less worried he gave her a warm smile. "Now, don't you have plans for the evening?"

Alexis nodded. "Jax and I are having dinner."

"Then you should go." Stefan said. "I'll keep you informed."

Alexis nodded and gave her brother a weak smile. When it came to Helena she would never stop worrying. After leaving Spoon Island Alexis went back to the lakehouse. When she walked in she found her sister sitting on the couch flipping through a magazine and watching MTV; she smiled at the redhead.

"Hey." Kristina replied. "How'd things go with Stefan?"

"Fine." Alexis answered as she sat beside her sister. "How were things here?"

Kristina thought about it for a second and then replied, "Quite."

Alexis raised an eyebrow. "Quite? Where's Sam?"

"In her room." Kristina answered. "She's been there since she got back from the park."

"Hmmmm." Alexis replied as she got up and headed back to Sam's room. She listened carefully but didn't hear anything so she knocked once and opened the door. "Hello my love."

Sam smiled up at her mom. "Hi Mom, have a good meeting?"

Alexis was carefully scanning the room. It wasn't like Sam to come in and go straight to her room, not unless there was something wrong. The girl liked hanging out with her aunt, who was honestly more like an older sister, then an aunt. "It was fine. Everything ok with you today?"

"Yeap." Sam said brightly. "Hung out with Lucky, Sly, and Emily for awhile."

Alexis' mommy sense was tingling. "What did you guys do today?"

"Built a snowman, hosed it down until it froze into ice after putting a tiara Emily made of sticks on it, named it the ice princess, laughed at Mr. Luke's reaction, had pie at Kelly's." Sam answered in one long rushed breath. She took a breath and then added, "Don't you have to get ready for your date with Jax? You don't want to keep him waiting, Mom, that's rude."

"I have time." Alexis replied. She narrowed her eyes at her child and then asked, "Ok, Samantha, what are you up too?"

Sam feigned hurt as she pouted. "I'm not up to anything, Mom."

"Mmhm." Alexis said as she eyed her daughter carefully. She and her daughter locked eyes and for several seconds simply stared at each other until Sam's eyes finally darted towards her closest. Alexis got up from the bed and walked towards it but Sam shot up and blocked her.

"You really should start getting ready, Mom." Sam tried again. "You should wear that blue dress that Jax really likes. And put your hair up, cause he likes it when it's up."

"He does, does he?" Alexis asked as she moved her child aside and opened the door. With the door open Alexis could hear the muffled meows. She scanned the small space until she found the only box with a lid on it. Kneeling down she lifted the lid just as Sam rushed in and scooped up its contents. "Samantha."

"He was freezing Mommy!" Sam protested. "We looked all over the park and couldn't find his Mama anywhere. Lucky couldn't take him because of Foster, Emily has Raul and Annabelle, and Sly hates cats. I had to bring him home! Please, Mommy, please can't I keep him?"

Alexis crossed her arms and looked down at her daughter. "How long were you going to hide him from me, Samantha?"

"Just until morning." Sam said honestly. "I was going to ask you then cause you're always in a super good mood after you spend the night with Jax."

That made Alexis blush. She could feel the heat rise and color her cheeks and she had to clear her throat before saying, "I'll think about it."

Sam grinned so brightly it lit up her big brown eyes. She rushed to her mom and hugged her with the arm not holding the tiny kitten who meowed up at them. "He likes you Mom."

Alexis just shook her head and smiled as she reached down and scratched the tiny thing with one finger. After talking to Sam about hiding things from her and calling Ingrid and asking her to pick up some things they'd need for Sam's nameless kitten. Alexis started getting ready for her evening with Jax. Sam had been right about what Jax liked. She did end up wearing the form fitting low cut blue dress he liked, which was also her favorite because she simply loved the color, and Kristina helped her put her hair up into a French twist.

"You look beautiful, Alexis." Jax said brightly when she came down the steps into her sunken living room.

"Thank you." Alexis said brightly as Sam, Kristina, Carly, and Sam's kitten watched her and Jax closely from the couch. "You look very handsome yourself, Jasper."

"Ooo." Sam teased. "She called him Jasper."

"Hush you." Kristina whispered as Carly covered the girl's mouth.

Alexis chuckled at the kids. Carly had come over to stay the night since the plan was that she would be spending the night with Jax. The girls were going to do a movie night. "All right you three. Jax and I have our cell phones so if you need us for anything, just call. If there's an emergency all the numbers you need are by the phone, and if you need her you can always call or page Bobbie."

"We'll be fine, Alexis." Kristina reassured her sister. "You two just worry about having a wonderful time."

Alexis smiled. She gave each girl, even Carly, a kiss on the forehead and then left with Jax. He had a plan for the evening, not that Alexis was aware of that. He started the evening off by picking her up in a limo that took them to the harbor and a private yacht. He'd hired a private chef to prepare a wonderful meal of steak and lobster tails, and had her favorite sparkling wine on ice. For dessert he'd had the finest truffles flown in from Europe. As they sat down to the intimate table for two and their first course of the evening, a few select friends were arriving at the lakehouse. By the time the main course was being severed on the yacht a full-blown party was happening at home.

"You know," Jax said softly as he held Alexis in his arms and danced slowly to the soft romantic voice of Etta James. "I wasn't sure if you'd like this or not."

Alexis lifted her head from his shoulder and looked up at him. "Why on earth wouldn't I absolutely love this?"

Jax smiled at her. "Because we're on the water."

"For you," Alexis said as she brought his face down to her own. "I'd jump in head first."

Jax wrapped his arms around her waist as their kiss became passionate. When the heat and desire between them reached it's height Jax picked Alexis up in his arms and carried her into the yacht's bedroom. After making love Jax held Alexis in his arms. She had the most beautiful smile on her face, which in turn made him smile. "What are thinking about?"

"About how much my life has changed in such a short span of time." She answered as she rolled onto her side so she could look up at him. "After my mother was killed and Kristina was taken, I grew up without love, or compassion; the caring touch of another human being, or a kind, encouraging word. I had Stefan, and I'm grateful for that, but it was like giving a grain of rice to someone who's starving."

Jax reached out and caressed her cheek and brushed back her hair as he listened.

"I knew how it felt to feel full when I was pregnant with Sam. That time in my life had been the very first time I'd ever felt loved and cared about since my world was shattered by Helena." Alexis continued as tears welled in her eyes. "But then I lost it, and I walled myself away because I couldn't feel so empty and alone again. I took what I needed to survive, to keep being human, from Stefan and then Nikolas, but I knew that Stefan's affection wasn't unconditional. He proved it when he threw me out when we first came here."

Jax reached out and brushed the tears off her cheeks before leaning in and kissing her softly.

Alexis smiled up at him when he pulled back. "I thought I'd finally found something real with Ned, and at the time it was, but nothing, nothing has come close to what I've found with you. With you I know that no matter what we'll always love each other. I don't have to prove anything to you, or defend my right to those feelings; I don't fear losing it, or you. You put my pieces back together Jax. You gave me back the pieces of my heart that had been stolen away from me. I have now what I didn't as a child." She paused a moment and then added. "I'm almost afraid that it'll all turn out to be a dream and I'll wake up in my stark little room in my father's hateful house."

Jax kissed her again. "It's no dream Alexis. And you're right; I will always be there for you no matter what. I love you; now and always."

They kissed again and while they did Jax reached for something but was stopped short when one of their phones started to ring. When he pulled away from her, she tried to stop him. "Ignore it." She said.

"It's yours. It could be about the kids." He said.

Alexis groaned.

It was Alexis' phone that was ringing and it was Bobbie on the other end. She spoke to her for a couple of minutes and with each passing second she was getting angrier. "No, no we'll be right there. Yes, I'm sure. All right. See you soon."

"What's wrong?" Jax asked. He'd watched her carefully and when he noticed her mood change he got out of bed and started to get dressed.

"Apparently my girls have lost their minds and good sense." Alexis said as she got up to get dressed as well. "They decided to throw a party. Bobbie stopped by to check on them and busted it up."

Jax phoned the captain and had him take the yacht back to the dock.

"I'm so sorry about this." Alexis said as they made their way back to the lakehouse.

"It's fine, Alexis." Jax said with a warm smile. "This is all part of being a parent."

When they got to the lakehouse all three girls were sitting on the couch looking very sorry for themselves. When she stepped down into the living room all three girls looked up at her. Kristina opened her mouth to say something but Alexis held her hand up. "I don't want to hear any excuses, Kristina. I just want to know what on earth you were thinking."

"It was just suppose to be a couple of people." Kristina replied. "It got a little out of hand."

Alexis looked around at the mess and then back at her sister. "A little out of hand?"

Kristina looked around and then sheepishly said, "Ok, a lot out of hand."

"Kristina, Carly, how could you have a teenage party with Sam here?" Alexis asked the girls. "You were supposed to be watching her."

"Alexis." Bobbie stepped in. "Sam had her own friends here. My nephew among them."

Alexis just shook her head. "You were in on this Samantha?"

"It really wasn't supposed to be a party party." Sam said. "But it was totally awesome!"

Alexis rolled her eyes. She and Bobbie then spent an hour lecturing the girls on why their evening of fun had been a bad idea. It was then agreed upon that Carly would still stay over but only because she was going to help Kristina and Sam clean up before anyone went to bed. They were also informed that they were all totally and without question grounded.

It was nearly three in the morning when the girls were all finally in bed asleep. Alexis was still stunned over the whole thing but no longer mad. In away it had shown both her and Bobbie just how far the girls had come. They were acting like real kids, doing real stupid kid stuff; they were comfortable enough in their lives to make mistakes. Jax had watched Alexis with the girls. She'd come a long way herself since they'd first met. She wasn't the same lost young woman who was totally dependant on her brother. She was strong, and independent, and most of all content and happy. As he watched her fall onto the sofa with a sigh he knew without a doubt that he wanted to go through with his plans. He pulled Alexis to her feet and then into him, he kissed her. When the kiss ended he said, "I love you."

Alexis smiled at him. "I love you too."

"I'd wanted to do this on the yacht." Jax said as he pulled a little box from his pocket. "But I think this might actually be better. We're here, in your home, with your girls tucked in safe, sound, and loved." Jasper Jax held the box between them and opened it. Inside was a beautiful and rare blue diamond engagement ring. "Alexis, will you marry me?" He smiled brightly. "Again and for real?"

Alexis was absolutely stunned. Her eyes were huge and welling with tears as she covered her open mouth after the soft gasp. She looked into Jax's beautiful blue eyes and said. "Jasper, I…"

The End

To Be Continued


End file.
